Current students, prospects, and faculty, welcome to the late spring 2008 semester of the IMC program at West Virginia University.

My name is Ottavio and I have been given the opportunity to be the IMC program blogger for this semester. Over the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences on the program, the specifics of the course I will be enrolled in, IMC 618 ? PR Concepts & Strategy taught by Professor Shelly Stump, and on topics of interest examined through the lens of marketing communications. IMC 618 marks my second course taken thus far, preceded by the program prerequisite, IMC 610 ? Introduction to IMC, in which I was enrolled last semester.

My thanks to the student bloggers before me for paving the way and making this website a noteworthy aspect of the IMC program?Anne, Todd, April, and Jamie. Your contributions were enlightening, intelligent, engaging, and helpful, and sparked interesting discussion among fellow students?my goal will be to keep the torch lit and carry it forward though the weeks to come.

I was born and raised in South Florida where I currently reside. The enticing weather, attractions, career opportunities, and my wonderful friends and family have kept me rooted here?however, as they say, who knows what the future may bring. I am an alumnus of the University of Florida where I majored in English and minored in business administration. Before that, I obtained an AA degree, and a vocational degree in television production operations. Professionally, I am presently the Marketing Communications Director for a luxury real estate firm located in downtown Fort Lauderdale where I plan, execute, and oversee initiatives that have, among other things, increased brand equity, leads, sales, and overall profits.

Below you will find a few of my general tips for success in the IMC program. There are also many helpful existing insights and ideas put forth on this website by the aforementioned bloggers that would be beneficial to review.

Stay Positive
There will be many times in this program when you will be confronted with challenging academic and personal circumstances. Remember to always stay positive and control the situation rather than allowing it to control you. A consistently positive attitude in this program, as with anything else in life, is a primary factor of success.

Be Organized
Formulate a general plan of how you intend to approach the program and courses, including reading and writing assignments, discussion postings, projects, and balancing academics with your personal and work life. After reading the syllabus for each course, you will undoubtedly gain more specific ideas on how best to organize yourself. One nice aspect of this program is that the courses follow a familiar framework of organization and timing. This may be used as a springboard for your own organizational guidelines.

Don’t Delay
Due to the condensed nature of the program and courses, time is not on your side and must be used wisely. Work on assignments early, and use the additional time before they are due to revise and polish them.

Actively Participate in Discussions
For those new and unfamiliar with its framework, this is a very interactive program requiring a fair amount of participation in class forums. Consider this an opportunity to expand your understanding of the subject matter and contribute regularly to discussions.

Lastly, in keeping with tradition, ?Ask Ottavio? is open. I encourage you to submit any comments and questions you have about IMC 618 ? PR Concepts & Strategy and the IMC program in general by following the prompt below. Additionally, I am looking forward to our discussions on the IMC blog in the coming weeks. Best wishes this semester and beyond.