This November, Public Relations students at St. Thomas Aquinas College will practice their communication skills in a seasonal campaign designed for the United Way of Rockland County: The United Way of Rockland Gratitude Challenge (#UWRGratitudeChallenge). The campaign aims to Unite Rockland, one compliment at a time, by encouraging people of the community to record messages of gratitude and then challenge others to follow suit on social media.
“This campaign reinforces our mission, to live united, and we hope Rockland will accept the challenge and spread gratitude this season,” stated Dana Treacy, CEO of the United Way of Rockland County, as her organization worked with STAC Communication students to design and launch what they hope will become a viral social media campaign inspired by plenty of goodwill. “As we approach the holiday season, positive messages are so important to the health of the community,” explained Treacy, immediately before taking the challenge and tagging her board of directors.
To support the campaign, STAC students created a physical manifestation of the challenge—a ten-foot-tall Gratitude Tree—and are encouraging the entire STAC community to help adorn the tree by writing messages of thanks on paper leaves. The leaves will then be attached to the tree, while the authors take the #UWRGratitudeChallenge. Students hope the tree will sprout more than a thousand leaves by Giving Tuesday, November 27, and have set the tone by completing dozens of leaves expressing gratitude for special individuals across campus, family, and friends. “It just feels good!” said Laura Herbes, college junior and tree designer, after completing the challenge.
The United Way of Rockland agreed to partner with STAC Communication students early in the Fall semester to provide students with the opportunity to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world by allowing them to practice public relations and social media marketing for an actual client. Communication Arts Professor Elaine Winship explains, “The United Way Rockland Gratitude Campaign is an inspiring service learning project that not only reinforces the importance of treating others with kindness during the Thanksgiving season, but also allows my students to gain professional communication experience.” Professor Winship will guide over sixty students through this experience, and notes in her #UWRGratitudeChallenge, “I’m so very thankful to the United Way of Rockland for providing this experience for my students.” Added Erin Durkin, college senior and one of the project architects, “This is more than a feel-good service project. It also teaches me valuable skills and allows me to build my resume.”
The Gratitude Challenge will culminate with an on-campus Giving Tuesday Party on November 27, the global day of giving.
