Northwestern’s Half-Baked Attempt at Connection: A Ham-Handed, Handwritten Thank-You Note

Earlier this month, I received a hand-written thank you note in the mail from an undergraduate at Northwestern University, my alma mater.

That was impressive.


The personally written, but hardly personalized letter from
a Northwestern undergraduate.

 Then I read the note – and if it wasn’t a verbatim transcription of a form letter, then I worry for the future of this self-described English major.

How utterly unimpressive.

Why bother with a form of intimate, personal connection when you saddle it with an impersonal form letter? Why go through the motions of making an emotional connection when you handcuff a student to so much sanitized white noise?

C’mon Wildcats: unleash these young adults to communicate from the heart! Or at least save yourself the postage.

Colleges' Spiraling Costs Are Out of Line

Mark my words: colleges are the next hallowed institution to get smacked off their undeservedly and ridiculously high pedestal.

Don't get me wrong--I think some aspects of college are absolutely fantastic: I learned much at my alma mater, Northwestern University. I really appreciate, and seek to support at every turn, my alumni network. I met my wife on a co-ed touch football field there.

But in this respect, colleges are simply bogus: their spiraling costs are out of whack with the rest of society, and have the feel of "status bumps"--jacking up the cost to simply look more valuable and prestigious without commensurate upticks in return on investment.

That's why I give a huge thumbs-up to Seth Godin's recent rant.

Journalism: One Way To Pave a Strong PR Path

Last week, I was pleased to be able to share some thoughts with students at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Twenty years ago, when I graduated from Medill, I never would have imagined that I'd be part of something called "PR Month," which the school has wisely initiated to address increasing interest in a public relations career track among students.

Below is an excerpt in which I discuss the value of practicing as much journalism as possible before venturing into a public relations career:



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