To students in the SOJC Public Relations sequence:

            The School of Journalism and Communication has been given a generous gift that supports the Rich Jernstedt Scholarship in Public Relations.  Jernstedt graduated from the University’s School of Journalism in 1969.

            This is a $5000 annual scholarship awarded by the School to a student in public relations.

Rich Jernstedt, from Carlton, Oregon, is the chief marketing officer, executive vice-president and senior partner, Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, the largest public relations firm in the world.  He is considered to be one of the leading strategic and tactical thinkers in the world of consumer branding,  product marketing and agency management. 

Prior to Fleishman-Hillard, Jernstedt spent  26 years at GolinHarris, another leading public relations firm.  Jernstedt played a pivotal role in the growth of GolinHarris from a one-office firm to a global company while serving as the CEO, then chairman. 

He is the former chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms and a member of the board of directors of The Arthur Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations.  He was inducted into the School’s Hall of Achievement in November.

          The preferred candidate for the scholarship would be a student who aspires to duplicate Mr. Jernstedt’s rise from small-town Oregon to a career in international public relations.

Considerations for the award may also include the following:
• the student has definite plans to pursue a career in a public relations agency;
• the scholarship will make an impact on the student’s ability to use the time at the University of Oregon more efficiently and effectively to prepare for an outstanding career in the field;
• the student has distinguished himself or herself on campus in more ways than as an outstanding public relations student (Jernstedt was senior class president and business manager of the Emerald).

            The scholarship recipient must carry a minimum of 14 credit hours during each term that he or she utilizes the scholarship.

            The scholarship recipient must not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor.

Deadline for applying for the scholarship for the 2007-08 academic year is Monday, April 2, 2007. Scholarship application forms are available in the Hulteng Student Services Center in 101 Allen Hall or you can download the form by clicking here.