Spotlight: Volunteering Shapes Professor

Dr. Suzanne Horsley, assistant professor of advertising and public relations, is a volunteer American Red Cross spokesperson. She discusses how her role as a Red Cross volunteer makes her a better professor.

 

J. Suzanne Horsley, PhD
Assistant Professor
Advertising and Public Relations

 

I returned from the scene of the Albert Pike Campground flood disaster in Arkansas on June 15 after serving as a volunteer American Red Cross spokesperson for four days. During this disaster, 20 men, women and children were killed, and dozens of family members had to wait for days to learn the fates of their loved ones while the media pushed to have them go on camera.

My job was to provide a buffer between the families and the media, facilitate interviews with first responders and others who were willing to talk to the media, and do media interviews to keep the public up-to-date on the recovery efforts. This was a highly emotional event, but I have invested countless hours of training to prepare for deployments such as this one. Each disaster is different, and every experience I have teaches me more about crisis communication that I can pass along to my students and colleagues.

I have been involved with the Red Cross since 2005 and have worked at the national level since 2008. My work as a disaster public affairs volunteer touches all aspects of my academic career: teaching, research and service.

Through the Red Cross, I have had access to tremendous training resources, research opportunities and life experiences that have shaped me as a public relations professor.

First of all, my training and disaster deployments keep me current in new public relations technologies and strategies that I then bring back to the classroom. As we all know, public relations is changing all the time, and the elite level of training that I have received as a national spokesperson for the Red Cross helps me stay credible as I teach PR strategies and tactics that include media relations, strategic planning, social media and crisis communication, among countless other lessons.

In addition to teaching students at The University of Alabama, I also teach disaster public affairs courses for Red Cross staff and volunteers. My experiences allow me to introduce new concepts and current examples to my students while showing them real-world applications and outcomes.

Secondly, the Red Cross has been gracious in allowing me to conduct fieldwork while attending training or deploying on disasters. The reciprocating relationship I have with the Red Cross has granted me open access to people, processes and events that afford me unique research perspectives and data.

Finally, the Red Cross has provided a great opportunity for me to get involved in public service, both in my own community as I work to help increase disaster preparedness efforts as well as in communities far away that experience disaster.

I have found a connection among fellow “disaster junkies” who love to rush in when everyone is else is heading out. Our training and preparation allows us to contribute to the overall disaster response effort and tell the story of the Red Cross.

Meanwhile, my training and service has made me a better teacher, researcher and citizen.

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