Time to start writing the story of #clarkclass

Hideaway lunch for survivors of Twitter for Media #clarkclass 10.0

By @Okieprof

(This is a reprint of an article on the Twitter for Media  class blog, the innovative intersession class, hashtagged #clarkclass. Just completing its 10th session, (Started in spring intersession 2012-2013) it has become my favorite, energized by speakers from many fields, and terrific mature students. It's a class of exploration and discovery, and "winging it" creativity. It's time to start writing the story of the class. To get a sense of it, check the class blog by clicking here: I dare you! #clarkclassUCO)
Those who could make it through schedules, and snow and ice, ate at Hideaway Pizza in Edmond, celebrating the end of an intense two weeks. Out of a record 27 students this year, these hardy souls made it to gather one more time.
The class never fails to astound me about the quality and positive attitude of our students at UCO and in UCO_MCOM, and in stuff we all learn in this rapidly changing media world.
An indication of that came with the snow storm that canceled class yesterday and today, leading to a #twitterclassstorm. As the class is unique in Oklahoma, more innovation came as a result. Student presentations of professionals who use twitter were scheduled both yesterday and today.

#clarkclass ready to innovate

What to do? Wing it. Students sent me their summary outlines and screen shots of their "adoptees."
I posted them all on this blog, and then at 10 a.m. we began at twitterclassstorm, all tweeting and commenting as we scrolled through their subjects.
This is probably a first of a class being conducted on twitter. This would not have been possible perhaps five years ago.
You can scan through those reports, in the three previous posts on this blog. Excuse the lack of consistency in format, but there wasn't time to make them uniform since the decision to abandon a campus class for twitter didn't come till about 5 pm last night. I took what I got and posted it.
"Content" the speakers said. We have that. It was loose, with some confusion and questions, but creativity isn't always  so uniform. It emphasized how twitter is a communication tool.
I'm particularly thankful for all our speakers who share their experiences, and to those who agree to be interviewed. You make the class.
It's about time for me to try to write the story of this class. I know I've got enough material from tweets and speaker comments to write a book.
But first, I've got to read  and grade all these students' "analog" but digitally submitted assignments.

Back to the future in OKC with a beautiful lady, the Tower Theater

A beautiful lady

I drove back 50 years in time on 23rd Street in OKC today, and into the future.
Coincidences--one of the speakers in my UCO Twitter for Media class (#clarkclass on twitter)this week is Jenny Grigsby, a self-employed social media manager for a number of cool clients. (See the class blog #clarkclassUCO.blogspot.com for more on her.)
Following her on twitter, I had learned they were going to relight the marquee on the historic Tower Theater at 5:30 tonight. The classic and architecturally beautiful theater was built in the 1930s, and closed in the late 1980s.We're fortunate it hasn't been torn down.

For months, I've been reading about public-spirited developers who have invested in it and are bringing it back to life, both from Steve Lackmeyer (who covers OKC like a wool blanket) in The Oklahoman and in the Journal Record. The once decaying area is now  part of OKC's Renaissance, especially in the Uptown district. Then meeting Jenny, I found out this week that the Tower is one of her clients.
So why did I go down there?
There was a crowd, of all ages, including people my age, young hipsters and even kids, all attracted by social media. For me, it was personal.

I walked through those doors

Fifty years ago, I and my first wife went and saw "Sound of Music" there during its 82-week run. We walked a few blocks from the garage apartment near there where we lived, when I was a student at Central state College (now UCO). I think we also saw one of the early James Bond movies there, probably "Goldfinger." The theater even hosted the debut of "Cleopatra"  for 26 weeks in 1963. 

1963, and my kind of car, Studebaker!

And today, I took photos, and walked inside where they're restoring the original look, including paint. The first floor will now be standing room, for live music concerts, and the balcony will have seating. 
This time, I was tweeting about it to my #clarkclass twitter students--who now can figure out how really old I am. 

The place was, and is, huge

I was taking photos, meeting people I knew, having a good time as I looked into the future, seeing construction everywhere--bars and offices in the adjacent buildings, and more on rush hour traffic on 23rd Street, a few blocks west of the state capitol.
Then I was an English major, and a budding journalist. I am still a journalist!
More photos, from tonight:

The event drew a huge crowd. Lackmeyere at right, Periscoping it.

The state, still under construction

Lackmeyer and Clark  after last night's #twitterbeef

Before the lighting

 

'Twitterculture' countess quotes in #clarkclass

This is #clarkclass, Twitter for Journalists, captured on Vine by @MyJrny, Sheri Guyse, today's speaker, a maven of media, music and more in Oklahoma City's "twitter culture," as she called it. To me, she's sort of a countess to that culture, committed to changing and improving OKC, many of whom have spoken to this class. These people use twitter and other social media as naturally as they speak. 
Sheri, a  favorite UCO ex-student who is communications director for Good Egg Dining Group, wowed the students with her almost low-key wit and wisdom from her extremely active and varied life. She spent very little time talking about twitter, and much more about music, business, learning, life. Almost everything she said was was quotable. 

@Okieprof in #clarkclass, by @MyJrny

There's also a sly side to her, almost mischievous, in some of her answers, and by her clandestine photos of the class and me. She has fun, and as with several of our speakers, as the class has noted, its built on some past pain and problems and setbacks.
She's also a philosopher. I asked her if there was any other advice for the class, and she blurted out something that just stunned people. You could hear the  group astonishment.

"Fear is an illusion," she said.

After she left, we debriefed, as usual, and the comments below, recorded by student @JenniferHasel, are intriguing. I'm going to add some separate tweets from the students in another post, showing more of her advice.
My best classes are where the old geezer, @okieprof, is also learning, and I usually do when my former students are around. Thanks @MyJrny.

Here's the debriefing:

• She had a lot of good points and good things to say like how she promotes music in addition to her food industry job; she has a lot on her plate but she finds a way to do it all
• She has a cool outlook on life; she thinks out-of-the-box; she makes a music venue out of her house; she's a creative thinker
• She uses social media in an effective way, she is relaxed and gives free reign to her social media manager; she uses social media in a creative and genuine way that pays off
• She has her managers use Twitter as a storytelling tool with pictures; she doesn't use it as a marketing tool
• She said that no idea is original but she seems so original; she's so genuine and she makes everything seem like her original thought
• She's an example of how powerful social media is using it the way she does for her company and not having to spend money on traditional advertising
• “Learn as much as you can; of all that I learned here I wish I had learned so much more.” 
• You can learn from anything you do
• “You might be the heaven-sent solution to a problem when they haven't even had time to think about the problem; you could be their solution.”
• She doesn’t use Twitter as a marketing tool but more as a listening device to listen to her customers and get feedback
• She created her job; she's relateable and she made her connections through Twitter
• Twitter is not a distraction; it's where a community exists
• She conveys that you should find the opportunity out there, take risks, take crazy opportunities, and get out of your comfort zone
• She is making and living her own destiny, she doesn’t work to live, she lives to work, she loves what she is doing and it’s part of who she is
• Everything she said was quotable
• Regarding Twitter, “we're all here for the same reason—to connect.”
• Regarding her job at Good Egg “It's fun to tell the story of awesomeness.”
• “Oklahoma City has this really great Twitter culture happening.”
• Regarding music artists, “They're giving you their art and that art deserves your attention.”
• “There is no way to change the culture other than to start at the roots.”
• “My biggest challenge is myself-- to only bite off what I can chew.”
• “There is a certain kind of magic that happens in an intimate music setting.”
• “I started getting brave about five years ago.”
• “I didn't want to have a tiny life; I wanted to have this great big life.”
• “I took more risks; I put myself out there.”
• “I'm a self-improvement junkie.”
• “If you can be fully present in your life, you'll experience serious amounts of joy.”
• “Fear is an illusion.”
• “Never click a link in a DM.”
• “Be nice; be good, because the good will come back to you.”
• “Go to Tuckers; get yourself a burger; it will change your life.”
• “Have a wholehearted experience, show up.”
• She tells lots of stories
• She said “This is me out-doing Dave Rhea,” and then she read Roosevelt's “Man in the Arena.”

Books and Authors recommended

• The Power of Now
• What Color is Your Parachute?
• Things a Little Bird Told Me
• Brene Brown
• E. Tolle

Comparison/Things the speakers have in common

• They all say to be nice
• They are all having fun
• Their work is part of their life and they love what they are doing
• They all believe in self-development
• They all like to learn
• They embrace themselves
• They all use their unique qualities to be successful in their work
• They all have the attitude of “graduate, get out there, find out who you are”
• They ignite you; they make you think

Media, music & more maven of OKC, in #clarkclass

The main benefit and joy of my job @okieprof as a professor at UCO are my students, and especially the former students who go on to success in their lives and become friends.
Such is tomorrow's Twitter for Journalists #clarkclass speaker, Sheri Guyse, @MyJrny, a brilliant, energized caring person who is officially communications director for Good Egg Dining Group. You'll have to attend #clarkclass to hear that story.

But Sheri is more than a person with a job. Her multiple passions and work--and survival of tough times--has gained a lot of recognition in OKC, so much so that she was named one of the 40 under 40 professionals by OKBiz last year. You can read about it  and her on the  website. She also has a witty, thoughtful blog, Really Most Sincerely. She is indeed a media and music maven and more.
As with all my speakers, she speaks with passion  on lots more than twitter, and more about life.  I'm proud, and continually energized by her and her story, which mirrors part of OKC's energetic present. 

Zen and the art of twitter--#clarkclass speaker

"This class is nothing like I expected," said one #clarkclass Twitter for Journalists student today, talking to me, @okieprof, and her colleagues. 

@jdaverhea, @okieprof, in December

She was talking about our latest speaker, Dave Rhea, @jdaverhea, general manger of The Oklahoma Gazette,  @okgazette.  Lots of people think twitter is shallow because of its 140 character message limit. They needed to be in class today.
He talked about twitter for sure, but so much more, including his work as a band musician, with a YouTube clip. There was philosphy, leadership  advice, the relationship of music and writing, life and time, and much more. He usually talks about the "bat belt" analogy but since we posted that article yesterday, it was a new free-wheeling discussion.
 I half joked it was "Zen and the art of twitter," and I think there's an article there. Check other student tweets under the hashtag #clarkclass today prove it.
After class, we debrief, and each student comments, recorded by fellow student @JenniferHasel.  Here's the debriefing.

• I like how he knew himself and had a deeper meaning of life
• Mechanical thinking is what you have been conditioned to think and it limits ways to think about yourself; you have to produce great content and get yourself out of mechanical thinking
• He met people through Twitter; “Twitter is the best networking tool I've ever experienced"
• He thinks it's not the past or the present but now; how to think about being in the moment and that how Twitter is that way
• He's very deep with everything that he does and says
• Producing content constantly changes and you have to adapt
• Continually educate yourself
• I was able to relate to him and the way he talks to himself and how he thinks about himself the whole time realizing that everything else going on around you is just a distraction
• Be yourself on Twitter
• I like his concept of leadership
• That psychological views and relating to journalism
• His management style
• Writing is like a marriage and music is like an affair; successful writing takes a lot of work and is a long journey; music is fast and provides instant gratification
• Every journalist should be a generalist, well-rounded, and interested in everything
• I like his idea about group feeds on Twitter
• His story on the Meyer Briggs survey and how finding out who you are can help you communicate with people that are different than you
• I like what you said about storytelling; whether you’re using Twitter, songwriting, etc., you’re still telling a story
• You have to portray your story; you can know it or experience it but you have to put it on paper
• People already have the capacity to be awesome so just be awesome now; don't wait
• He gets locked in; when you’re more focused, you're more motivated
• “This isn't going to be cool later because it's cool now”
• Forget about the past and the future, think about the present
• He uses Twitter like a brain pause or smoke break to keep focused
• "When you're conscious, your tweets are better than when you're unconscious"
• His thoughts on action awareness, emotional awareness, thought awareness and consciousness awareness
• Social media is just another too--like a ratchet--you're not a ratchet expert, you're a mechanic. You're not a social media person, you're a storyteller.

Taking an 'F' to the top of twitter

@okieprof #clarkclass

"Dr. Clark gave me the only 'F' I ever got in college," said Rob Crissinger, @rcrissinger, speaking on the last day of the twitter for journalists intersession class Friday.
He was smiling when he said it--in fact he smiles all the time he's talking--and the students looked astounded. Here was this enthusiastic, with-it young looking 40-year-old entertainment PR guy wowing them with stories and advice.
I'd forgotten about it, but Rob explained he'd turned in first person writing in my feature writing class when it called for third person. He said I gave him a chance to revise it. He went home, decided not to and took the 'F.'" And aced the course.
He was one of those "older' students, going back to college after bouncing around doing different things.
And after graduating, bouncing around from one PR job and location to another, he's got the job he loves doing PR for arts and entertainment in OKC for Bumbershoot PR @Bumbershoot PR. Accounts include the Plaza District, among many more.
He came in nervously, sat down, and loosened up, chatting with the class about twitter, PR, music and more. Smiles and laughter and questions followed in quick order. He was a walking quote machine.
He said graduating from UCO was an advantage because city media and PR is dominated by UCO grads.
What really impressed me was the two-page list of OKC twitter uses he passed out to the class. The night before, he sat down, put on his headphones, and started typing off the top of his head who you should follow in OKC. The list is golden, (and includes three previous speakers @MyJRNY, @HeideWrite, @jdavehrea, and I'll share more of it later.
In our debriefing, with Rob sitting in, here is what the students said made the biggest impressions.

• The people using twitter effectively are #winning
• You have to have an edge to dominate
• I want OKC to be a place I never want to leave 
• Doing what you love, you can’t put a price tag on it.
• Re-invent and adapt
• Make a list of people to get to know
• Know people who are in your pond. Swim fishy swim.
• LOVE your town, love OKC.
• Tell your boss to hire you, be risky. Create your own job
• Be versatile in your work, work with many different groups.
• Write relevant things on twitter and people will follow you
• Don’t be afraid to go someplace new and learn things the hard way.
• Someone young can be relevant on twitter, it’s so easy
• Take risks and then you can have the reward of a great career.
• Don’t be afraid to be the new person, adapt and enjoy yourself.
• “We’re all scared, but WHO CARES? Have the willingness to be scared but still do what you need to do.”
• Don’t be so interested in yourself, but yet be interested in others.
• Really listen to what others are saying.
• Twitter is his number 1 social media.
• The phone is everything. (Only using laptop to send out releases)
• If everything comes easy, you don’t get the edge to dominate.
• Go with the flow and you’ll just be mediocre.
• Don’t put a price tag on what you love doing everyday.
• The fact that we have an advantage graduating from UCO in OKC because we know people, we are connected. This made all the May graduates feel so much better!

You can see many more student comments about Rob by searching  #clarkclass on twitter.

Twittering star and former student

@clarkclass #clarkclass

Speaker to my Twitter for Journalists class today was Sheri Guyse, @MyJRNY, marketing director for Good Egg Dining, and so much more. We watched Good Egg's video, and referred to Sheri's Blog, Really Most Sincerely, ahead of time.

"This class  so transcends twitter, it's about life" 

The class got the ultimate compliment, in my book, from one student after Sheri left today. he said "This class so transcends twitter, it's about life." 
So what did she talk about? Her journey, personally and professionally. About the booming cultural life in Oklahoma City. About travel. About food. About music. About the avant garde way Good Egg uses twitter and social media to open new restaurants and in daily operation, advertising, PR and marketing.
In our debriefing after she left, several students mentioned how much she inspired them with her off the cuff remarks, honesty and advice about twitter and more. I am so fortunate to have so many great former students.
You can see some of the students tweets during her comments at @okieprof, search #clarkclass.
Here are some student comments during our debriefing, notes take by Lacey Rhodes.

    •    Be a good person, and keep the content clean.
    •    There is nothing at all that you cannot do.
    •    Keep your relationship statuses offline.
    •    “Fear is this weird thing that our brain does that serves absolutely no purpose.”
    •    Use twitter to tell a story
    •    Both speakers we’ve had said to be a good speaker and always keep learning.
    •    Be curious about things outside the box.
    •    Create a personal relationship with your customers or the people who follow you, follow them!
    •    Don’t wait around for the job to be posted but sometimes create your own!
    •    Don’t stay in the digital; there is life happening too.
    •    There is no such thing as a work-life balance because your work is your life. Have a passion for your work.
    •    She would only hire a friend or an intern that she knew on twitter. Align yourself with people that will help you strategically.
    •    It’s not all strategic but sometimes it happens accidentally.
    •    Take advantage of all the classes you can take while you are in school.
    •    Be well-rounded. It really helps you in this field. You can do journalism, advertising and all of it.
    •    Be inquisitive and ask for help when you need it.
    •    Don’t settle for being average.
    •    “Twitter is a drug of choice”
    •    “Live in the flow and then people will fall into your stream."
    •    She created her own position so she has full control of her job now.
    •    She encouraged us to do anything we want. Failure isn’t bad for you. It is a step towards success.
    •    If there is something you don’t like, then don’t do it. If you really hate your job then quit. Move on to something better.
    •    Fear is a weird trick our brain tries to play, we need to ignore fear because it is useless.
    •    Her attention span is dwindling because of social media.

My favorite quotes:

• "Take the classes you want to take."
• "Fear serves no purpose."
• "The holy gospel of social media is that you have to always want to learn."
• "Read fiction. The storytelling will help you."

A journalist's passion for twitter

@okieprof #clarkclass

Mike Sherman, @MikeSherman, sports editor for The Oklahoman, was the first speaker for my Twitter for Journalists class.

Mike, a UCO grad, is one of the most upbeat positive people I know, and he grabs my  students', and my, attention with story after story. 

There's a quote, an aphorism, in almost every statement, and he's full of practical advice about journalism, sports, jobs, and much more. 

He does his homework, and came to class already knowing things about my students because he'd look them up on line.

He told how the sports department uses twitter, from involving readers to write headlines, to staying in touch with readers, to finding story ideas, to looking for employees.

If you want to see some of the things they tweeted while he was speaking --required -- search #clarkclass on twitter, or go to my site, @okieprof, and do the same on #clarkclass. They're immediate and fun. I'll compile and print them later.

His passion and enthusiasm, and broad knowledge of much more than just sports, but the entire social media and journalism world, astounded the students. 

After he left,  and at the end of each speaker session, we debrief, and each student comments.

Here are some of the things that the students said stood out:

• He hired someone without looking at their resume. Maybe twitter is the new resume. 
• Twitter has so much power. The story he told of a  sports writer raising money for the flight for the family to attend a game
• Finds employees by looking at their twitter, makes you think twice before posting something. 
• Do your research; know people before you even meet them.
• Be cautious what you post on social media, everyone sees it.
• Resumes may not be as important anymore, twitter is the new resume. Twitter is a big involvement tool.
• Facebook is more of a family atmosphere where twitter is more about the people you are interested in.
• The search feature on twitter is the most important invention ever
• Finding your role on twitter is important.
• Don’t get hung up on the number of followers you have but more the followers' worth as individuals.
• Make what you post worth your followers' time. Provide a service to them.
• Keeping up with content, responses and reporting.
• Don’t feel stuck in your location. Twitter is a travel tool. Virtually traveling and contacting the world. 
• Insignificant tweets become wallpaper and they can make you look so stupid as a person.
• Twitter is about the now; deliver your content as a service.
• Find your own path for how you use twitter
• Twitter footprints are important.
• Twitter can help you get a job or it can hurt you.
• To thine ownself be true. Be who you are even on social media.
• Mike wouldn’t hire anybody who wasn’t on social media. 
• When you present yourself on social media you can sometimes get a wrong impression or a false impression. You manage your own content on twitter. 
• You should take what you get off of social media as a grain of salt but networking is important. You should represent yourself truly. 
• Be critical of everything you read on twitter, find the sources. 
• Twitter is the new wire service
• Content is king
• Twitter allows you to listen

My  favorite quotes:

•   "Be a storyteller."
•   "Twitter is the new wire service"
•   "I'm going to clarkclass it."
•  "I've learned more about journalism in the last two years and in my previous career."

My class has become a verb!