Ryan, Whitney & Company Takes on College Course
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grand Junction, CO — January 29th, 2008
As the Mesa State College students entered their Mass Communications 110 class this past Monday, they were surprised to find not one, but five instructors. Ryan, Whitney & Company, a Grand Junction-based advertising, marketing and public relations firm, is instructing the entry level course as a team, providing students the unique experiences and perspectives of five business professionals. Two of the agency employees have Masters Degrees and teaching experience, requirements to teach at the college.
The idea came about when Angelina Salazar, the firm’s business development and public relations director, was approached to teach the class in early January. “I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity, but realized I didn’t have the time,” explained Salazar. “Then I thought, ‘what an experience the students would have if the firm as a whole could take on the class.’” Salazar approached the agency’s partners Lee Whitney and Dan Ryan, who immediately liked the idea. “The concept of an entire company teaching a college course was intriguing,” said Dan Ryan. “As far as we know this has never been done before, and we appreciate Mesa State’s willingness to reach beyond the norm to provide students with an innovative learning experience.”
Keesha Davis, Client Services Manager and the most recent addition to the Ryan, Whitney team, was excited to share her professional knowledge in the classroom, “Having just received my MBA from Mesa State, I know firsthand the quality of programs and am looking forward to going back as an instructor,” she said. Davis is the Adjunct Professor of record.The course is designed to provide students with an exploration of media’s impact on society and on the individual. Primary topics include the examination of specific media such as newspapers, magazines, books, radio and television, and the cultural and economic impact of advertising, public relations and film. “These topics have been a focal point of my life for decades,” commented managing partner Lee Whitney. “Though I have a lot to share with the students both academically and practically, I expect to learn a lot from them as well.”
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