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Presented in partnership with YOUR CAREER
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New lessons in New Orleans
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Max Utsler, Ph.D., wil present the latest communication tools to help promote your facility and profession during the Golf Industry Show in New Orleans. |
With the range of duties that superintendents must master, finding time to hone all of those skills isn’t always easy. But if you have 30 minutes to spare during the Golf Industry Show, you have time to sharpen your communication skills during the Communications Hot Topics sessions, which will take place Thursday, Feb. 5, and Friday, Feb. 6. Presented by Max Utsler, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Kansas, the Hot Topics give you the basics of communication issues that affect every superintendent.
The Basics of Newsletter/Article Writing will focus on how you can use the written word to reach fellow employees, facility patrons, chapter members or the media. Utsler will provide the building blocks for delivering information in an appropriate and effective manner to a variety of constituents.
The Basics of Article Content will take article writing even further by teaching what types of topics grab a reader’s attention. Whether you write for your facility newsletter or Web site, or articles in your state golf association magazine, Utsler will provide you with tips and tools for putting together a successful article.
If you find yourself the subject of a media piece, be prepared before you face a reporter by attending The Basics of Media Interviewing. Whether conducted by the daily newspaper reporter or a national news station, media interviews can be intimidating. But you don’t have to be overwhelmed. Utsler will offer tips on interacting with the media and how you can communicate the message you want the public to
receive.
If you are meeting your audience face-to-face, take time to attend The Basics of Public Speaking. Although many people get nervous speaking in front of a group, for most superintendents, it’s part of their job. You can learn how to communicate more effectively in a group setting, and how to relay information and influence your audience. Whether your audience is your green committee or a group of school children, Utsler will provide you with the tools for making sure your next presentation is successful.
As technology rapidly advances, so do the ways you can communicate. Introduction to New Media will give you the ABCs of how you can use the latest communication tools to help you promote your facility and your profession. Utsler will show you how the latest advances in communication technology can provide easy and cost-effective ways for you to communicate with your golfers and your community.
All of the Communications Hot Topics will take place in the GCSAA Answer Zone at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. For a listing of the specific times and dates of the Communications Hot Topics, visit www.golfindustryshow.com. For more information,
contact Angela Nitz, GCSAA’s manager of corporate communications, at 800-472-7878 or anitz@gcsaa.org.
Know a turfgrass student who would benefit from a hands-on work experience? The USGA Green Section is once again offering internships to give students a broader view of the golf course industry and help them learn more about maintenance. Between 14 and 17 students will be selected for the internships, which entail traveling with members of the Green Section staff on their Turf Advisory Service visits to golf courses across the U.S. where they deliver research results and practical information about construction and maintenance. Students receive a $250 stipend for the week-long internship, while all transportation, hotel and meal expenses are provided for by the USGA. Students are required to submit a summarized report of their observations and experiences three weeks after the internship. To qualify, a student must be a sophomore, junior or senior in a four-year program or a graduate student in horticulture, agronomy or a related field. Students must also be returning to school the semester following the internship and exhibit leadership potential and an interest in golf and turfgrass management. Applications are due Nov. 24. Selected candidates will be notified after March 1, 2009. For more information, contact Kimberly Erusha, Ph.D., director of education for the USGA Green Section, 908-234-2300, or kerusha@usga.org. |
