Columbia, Mo. (Feb. 14, 2018) — Many big names from the advertising and PR world come through the School of Journalism every year, giving guest lectures and meeting with students. However, the Novak Leadership Institute took this one step further by taking the students to the front doors of the biggest names in our industry with a six-day trip to San Francisco in January. During the trip, 10 journalism students visited Adobe, Apple Park, Edelman Digital, Facebook, Google and other industry leaders in tech and innovation.
“The Novak Future Leaders Tour, along with other student programs within the Novak Leadership Institute, was conceived and developed based on our understanding of the evolving needs of J-School students,” said Novak Leadership Institute Associate Director Brandon Butcher, who developed and led the trip. “This tour placed specific emphasis on visiting organizations where media and innovation intersect. Silicon Valley sits at the very center of this intersection and offers valuable opportunities for students to connect with leaders in the space and gain inspiration.”
During the day, students participated in workshops, info sessions, tours, networking events, career coaching and resume reviews at different sites. Each night, students had dinner with Mizzou Journalism alumni and San Francisco leadership agencies.
“The Novak future leaders tour was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said senior Emily Pagano. “In addition to touring some of the most innovative companies in the world, I left with a new network of personal connections with brilliant and inspiring professionals at these companies, people who I aspire to be like someday.”
The trip was also chance for students to look at the future of communications first hand.
“This trip was eye-opening for me because it was my first exposure to Silicon Valley and the tech industry,” said senior Danny Rosenberg. “Our strategic communication interest area highly emphasizes the traditional advertising and PR career paths, but as tech has proven to be a burgeoning industry for creatives, it was exciting to learn more about how our skill sets can be applied to more non-traditional roles.”
The Novak Leadership Institute offers an innovative approach to leadership education uniquely rooted in the principles of strategic communication and advertising. The Institute leverages the Missouri School of Journalism’s global brand and over 100 years of experiential learning while integrating David Novak’s industry-proven leadership philosophy. The result is a world-class leadership education that teaches students how to effectively communicate and collaborate to take people with them.
The institute offers courses for undergraduate and graduate students emphasizing leadership development, organizational communication, entrepreneurship, and service. The programs connect students with some of the world’s top organizations for professional mentoring, custom experiences, internships, and networking. The Institute also features research publications, conferences, lectures, seminars, and workshops for both student and professional audiences. Its mission is to prepare lifelong leaders to make a positive and meaningful impact in their organizations and communities.
This story was originally published on the Missouri School of Journalism website.