How does AI fit into a profession as deeply human-centric as public relations? Valerie Fields, a leading expert with 30 years of industry and teaching experience, breaks down how AI is reshaping PR— from drafting press releases in seconds to navigating AI-driven crises—while sharing strategies to prepare students for a field where human creativity, critical thinking, and trust continue to be essential. Designed for educators guiding the next wave of communication leaders, this episode delivers insights that matter.

Summary

Valerie Fields, a public relations professional with over 30 years of experience as both a practitioner and educator, examines the evolving role of AI in public relations and its implications for the skills future industry leaders will need.

The episode outlines practical approaches for incorporating AI-driven tools into classroom teaching while emphasizing foundational values such as trust, authenticity, and relationship-building. Fields also discusses ways educators can adjust their curricula to address emerging trends, ensuring students are equipped to integrate innovation into their work while maintaining creativity and meaningful communication.

This overview is particularly relevant for professors focused on preparing students for an industry that merges technological advancements with the enduring importance of human connection.

What We Talk About

Here’s what’s covered in the episode:

• Balancing technology and humanity: Exploring how PR professionals can use AI as a tool without losing focus on the human connection, trust, and strategic creativity that define the field.
• AI’s impact on PR: Discussing how AI is transforming public relations through enhanced efficiency, while underlining the importance of foundational skills and the dangers of over-reliance on automation.
• Social change and ethics: Preparing students to work authentically and ethically in an environment influenced by societal, political, and economic shifts.
• Skills for future professionals: The essential skills students need to thrive in the industry, including critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and adaptive storytelling in the context of technological advancement.
• Experiential learning in education: Leveraging real-world projects and service-learning experiences to help students bridge the gap between theory and practice.
• AI's potential for mistakes: How PR professionals can counteract AI's errors, like fabricated information, to maintain accuracy and credibility.
• Relevance of press releases: Highlighting the adaptability and continued usefulness of press releases as a key tool for communication, even in the digital age.

About the Author

With nearly 30 years of experience as a PR practitioner and educator, Valerie “VK” Fields brings a unique blend of real-world expertise and academic insight to her work. As a senior lecturer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Media and Journalism, she has spent 18 years equipping students with the skills to succeed in the evolving PR landscape.

She is the founder of PR Pros, a Raleigh-based, award-winning agency that has partnered with high-profile clients like McDonald’s and Disney to deliver effective communication strategies. VK is also the author of Public Relations Writing: Essential Tools for Effective Storytelling, a trusted resource for aspiring PR professionals.

Dedicated to ethical, human-centered communication, VK combines creativity and strategy to inspire the next generation of PR storytellers.

Bring fresh perspectives on financial literacy into your classroom. Sage author and personal finance expert Kristen Carioti shares practical methods for teaching budgeting, saving, and investing in ways that connect with students. This conversation offers innovative tools, real-life examples, and strategies to engage diverse learners. Whether you want to enhance your curriculum or help students build lasting financial independence, you’ll find actionable insights to make a difference.

Summary

Empowering students with financial literacy is essential for fostering their long-term success. In this episode, Sage author and personal finance expert Dr. Kristen Carioti discusses equipping students with the skills and confidence they need to take charge of their finances. From practical budgeting and emergency fund strategies to reframing financial habits through a growth mindset, this conversation is packed with actionable advice for educators and learners alike. Dr. Carioti emphasizes the importance of making financial literacy relatable and accessible, addressing the diverse needs of students and the systemic challenges they may face. Whether you’re trying to strengthen your curriculum or empower students to break free from living paycheck to paycheck, this episode offers tools to make an immediate impact.

What We Talk About

• Financial literacy as a life skill: Why mastering financial basics is essential for student success both in and beyond college.
• Escaping the paycheck-to-paycheck trap: Practical strategies like emergency funds, budgeting, and reducing debt dependency.
• The power of a growth mindset: How reframing mistakes as learning opportunities empowers students to manage their finances with confidence.
• Investing is for everyone: Breaking down the basics of IRAs, 401(k)s, and the importance of early investing for wealth creation.
• Empowering women in finance: Addressing financial literacy gaps and societal perceptions to help women gain control of their financial futures.
• Technology’s dual role: Using tools like online calculators for financial planning while staying vigilant against scams and misinformation.
• Making financial education universal: Why including personal finance courses in college curriculums ensures every student is equipped for financial independence.
• Identity-driven habits: Teaching students to align their financial behaviors with empowered identities like “savvy money manager” or “confident investor.”

About the Author

Dr. Kristen Carioti is a Sage author, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Mount Mary University, and a passionate advocate for financial literacy. With over two decades of teaching experience, she specializes in personal finance, applied economics, and creating inclusive learning environments. Dr. Carioti is dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to build lasting financial independence, inspiring them to think of themselves as savvy investors and confident decision-makers.

Beyond academics, she enjoys weightlifting, journaling, and spending time with her family. Her textbook, Introduction to Personal Finance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Financial Freedom, empowers learners to make informed financial choices with clarity and confidence.

Summary

What makes cults so fascinating, and how can they become a powerful tool for teaching psychology? Dr. Wind Goodfriend, social psychologist and Sage author, provides the complete toolkit for a class where the psychology of cults becomes a catalyst for sparking curiosity, critical thinking, and active engagement among students.

This episode dives into how cults, with their gripping narratives and psychological intricacies, can be used to explore everything from social influence to cognitive dissonance. Wind shares insights from her popular course "The Psychology of Cults," offering a roadmap for educators to teach about the psychology of persuasion, brainwashing, and human behavior in ways that resonate deeply with students.

What We Talk About

Here’s what’s covered in the episode:

• Using Cults as a Teaching Tool: Creative ways to incorporate cult studies into lessons, whether for a single class or an entire semester.
• Fostering Critical Thinking: How controversial and complex topics like cults challenge students to engage with the nuances, question assumptions, and build their analytical skills.
• Exploring Real-World Applications: Stories and case studies on infamous cults that connect psychological theories to real-life scenarios.
• Creating Engaged Classrooms: How psychology instructors can make learning more relatable and memorable, encouraging lifelong curiosity.

Wind also shares activities, assignments, and resources she uses to engage students while guiding them to understand psychological manipulation tactics and how to apply those lessons beyond the classroom.

About the Author

Dr. Wind Goodfriend is a Professor of Experimental Psychology and Assistant Dean for Liberal Arts at Buena Vista University, where she has been a dedicated educator for 19 years. Known for her impactful teaching, she has been named Faculty of the Year three times and earned the prestigious Wythe Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her research focuses on combating relationship violence, sexism, and homophobia.

An accomplished author, Wind’s latest textbook, Psychology and Our Curious World, published by Sage, adds to her portfolio of 12 books, dozens of journal articles, and contributions to psychology in pop culture. She also created and appeared in The Great Courses docuseries on cult manipulation. A passionate mentor, her work continues to inspire students and enrich psychology education.

You can email Wind at goodfriend@bvu.edu.