All posts by Colt Gunn

Career Reflections

Career Reflection: My view as a journalist 

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This trip has proved to be a monumental step in my professional career. I would not say it was in regards to pursuing something in Public Relations but in gaining an understanding of the industry, especially one that works so closely with my own field of journalism and media.

A new level of depth in my own industry occurred during the Alice PR business trip, particularly with the “Game Changer” initiative they started in association with the GAA. What appealed to me so much was learning the ins and outs of media and news coverage and how it transpires. Listening to them discuss the close relations they share with certain reporters and how they work together with media outlets to get their events covered was incredibly insightful. As a journalist, I would say I had a level of tunnel vision. I was wrapped up in the idea of journalism at the forefront of my thoughts with disregard for the other elements in play. Also the different stories and coverage that can be told, and how numerous the opportunities are.

On a side note, the ability to work with RTE for their campaign was, I thought, the coolest thing. I am a huge fan of the publication, and knowing that this was covered by one of my favorite news outlets was incredibly interesting. Alice PR also mentioned they had to obtain accreditation from RTE before even meeting for the story. That is one part I would have liked to learn more about.

Looking at a different business, I got a lot out of the AIB visit as well. First, on a personal level. My image of bankers and those in a corporate industry was sour, to say the least. To attend a meeting and see authenticity, genuineness, and deliberate action towards helping the environment was not something I expected. They truly cared. This was deep-rooted in the company’s core values and the values of the CEO.

To continue, their idea of real estate was practical and efficient. This related to me and extended to my peers who attended the meeting, who, unfortunately, are all in dire circumstances with the housing market. It gave me hope that there are people looking for ways to progress and combat the unfair institutions in place regarding real estate. It seems the whole world is dealing with a housing crisis; innovation especially in the sustainability world for architecture is a beacon of hope.

Dublin On Your Own

Dublin On My Own: Personal Identity

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I had a few excursions on my own during my time in Dublin. The time I saw a mural and followed it all the way in an alley which led me to two women who I watched walk away and duck under a small hole in the wall. I decided to investigate, and after walking through, it turned out to be the local football stadium which introduced me to meet someone who mentioned a match was happening that night.  Or the time I went to see the Book of Kells, traversed Trinity College, which, I found a bit underwhelming. The moment on my own that I chose to write about was a time that I did not intend to be on my own. I remember I needed to eat lunch and I diverted from the group in Howth to find something that could accommodate my Celiac Disease (gluten free food). 

I remember sitting down at the bar and ordering my food. For some reason I noticed all the male bartenders had hair similar to mine. Brown curly hair, and mine was even curlier than it usually is being by the sea. My next thought was something my mom told me a year ago. She said your dad is not your biological dad. She mentioned a man with a last name that was vehemently irish starting with a “Mc” at the front but I forget what followed. I remember breaking down, crying. 

It was something that I had pushed down for a long time. I am not even sure it is true. But in that moment it was crushing. The idea of thinking an absolute my whole life can turn out to be a falsehood was jarring. It goes even deeper when my father was a single parent for most of my life. Biological or not that is my father, and I never paid what my mother said any mind; until this trip.

I left the Pub and scaled the elevation towards the summit. No idea of where anyone was but somehow stumbling upon them almost immediately as I made it up. I was greeted with smiles, generosity, and companionship. Then I looked over at the beautiful fields, sea stretching far past the eye, and cliffs embroidered with greenery and jagged rocks. I guess, in that moment, I felt ok. Whether this is true, or this is not, ultimately I am here, and my experiences are real with or without a label to define them. 

I didn’t expect to be vulnerable in a public discussion but I felt it would be a disservice to myself for not talking about an experience that was fueled by emotion, made me question my existence, and ultimately drew me closer to understanding my own identity. This was hard to write about but Im glad I did.

CSR in the Wild

CSR in the Wild

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This was located in the bathroom at the 14 Henrietta street tour. The brand exhibited is called “riley” which sells period products. They hit a few sustainability points being biodegradable, 100% organic cotton, and zero toxins or harmful chemicals. It is also an Irish owned business. 

First, having period products should be in every bathroom but unfortunately it is not. This is very conveniently placed and is easy to use. As for the actual brand and attracting customers the font is small and hard to read. It gets points for offering a discount with a code and having a QR code to scan. 

Overall having environmentally friendly period products packaged and displayed in an easy to access manner is very convenient and a very enticing product. It gets points deducted for not broadcasting their products to sell and attracting customers with hard to read labels.

Professional Visits, Workshops, etc.

Alice PR Blog Post Reflection

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Although I am not a Public Relations major and at times have trouble with the most rudimentary aspects of PR, I found the conversation incredibly engaging and was able to ask questions based on my own experiences in what I have found to be a very welcoming environment. 

Firstly, I found out how Public Relations handles hate speech on social media. Sometimes they are able to block or report individuals for comments but sometimes they are not able to censor anything. It depends on the organization or client they are working for and their own protocol. 

Furthermore, I did not know the intricacies of dealing with news and media outlets. How close Public Relations works with this sector and how vital media is for a campaign and brand image.

Continuing, I learned the term DEI is not as politicized in Ireland as it is in the U.S. This struck me as surprising as this is such a hot debate that is currently ongoing.

I also found the local athletic organizations led by towns that make up the GAA very interesting. Having such a small community and then keeping that community and players in the same place where they are born is very special. This is compared to football players in the U.S who often change teams off and on and move to different cities. 

I also found their initiative with Game Changers a beautiful show of solidarity to combat gender inequality in collaboration with the sports realm.  

To wrap up, I would like to learn more about the collaboration that happens between Public Relations and News / Media. Since I am looking to go into Media, having this knowledge I feel could help in my chosen field.

Professional Visits, Workshops, etc.

Allied Irish Banks and Goodbody Clearstream Blog Post Reflection

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During our visit I felt a lot of recurring themes came up that we have already covered in class. Examples being the Green deal, cutting carbon emissions, the idea of materiality, and attracting talent to the company. 

Going to a bank with more of an emphasis on the economic sphere of ESG brought up a lot more sustainability related issues that I was unaware of. Starting with the housing market and sustainability issues involving real estate. As an American there is a lot of polarization between tenant and landlord. With the practices deployed by AB Architecture (sustainability organization for housing) they have protocols to keep the landlord responsible. It fosters a better quality of life for the tenant which creates less stress and a more healthy, fit working force. The landlord has incentive to contribute to implementing sustainable measures with their housing investmens because there is a possbilty they face repercussions from the bank. It seems like a nice checks and balances approach.

Something I found interesting is my talk with John in regards to LEED certification. He is aware of it but I found out it is mostly prevalent in the UK. I also seemed to surprise him as he did not realize how far LEEDs has cemented itself in sustainability and architecture in the States. 

Finally, I would like to learn more about AB Architecture, the organization similar to LEEDs but is more prevalent in Ireland that AIB mentioned.

Meet Our Bloggers

Colt Blog Intro

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My name is Colt Gunn and I am a rising Junior and Communication Studies Major. This is my second time with Klein Go (First was the Puerto Rico visual storytelling class with Allie) and my first time visiting Europe; I am extremely excited!! I have a lot of roots in Ireland and Scotland with my family’s lineage so this was always a location that I had planned to visit at one point.

A little bit more in depth about my self. I have a passion for video and photography so you will be seeing me lug a camera around for most of our travels. I am hoping to incorporate some visual media in my projects during the course if possible. Some recent work I am currently doing is a documentary called “Survivors Ink” which is a continuation of a photography project titled “Survivors Ink” which aims to tell the story behind an individuals tattoo and the story behind the individuals themself. My crew and I are hoping to publish the documentary sometime in the Fall semester.

I am currently a Peer Mentor at Klein and recently got appointed the Multi-Media Director of WHIP Radio for this upcoming year, so very excited for that !

Another quick note is that I have been reading extensively up on Irish History and reading Irish Publications like RTE.

Grateful for the opportunity to be apart of this class and this experience.

Best,

Colt