‘Vampire Diaries’ marketing exec will speak on campus
Education Days will encourage the mindset “bee yourself” this week, beginning with a speech by a CW Television Network executive and ending with the College of Education and Human Service’s second annual spelling bee.
Rick Haskins, the CW Television Network’s executive vice president for marketing and brand strategy, is speaking at 12:30 p.m. in the TSC International Lounge on Wednesday. His speech begins the two-day event hosted by CEHS.
Haskins, a Utah State University alumnus and Sigma Chi member, has been important in expanding CW’s fame over the Internet, and supervises the entire marketing department. He oversaw advertising campaigns for the series “Gossip Girl,” “90210,” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
Haskins will speak on self-branding, which correlates with a book he co-authored “Brand Yourself” in 2000, a book about building a better self image to advance in the career world. Patty Halaufia, executive director of alumni relations, said the focus of his speech will be helpful to students who are job hunting.
“It will help them (students) focus on themselves and who they are and what they are interested in, so they can sell themselves to potential employers,” Halaufia said.
Halaufia said she met Haskins while they attended USU in the 1970s and were both involved in the Greek system. Haskins will return to Logan this week to speak to classes in the Huntsman School of Business, and also at Education Days.
Halaufia said Haskins is very well known in the business world for marketing and branding. She said he was one of the first people hired to work on marketing strategy when CW was formed in 2006. CW is a joint venture between CBS and Warner Bros., former majority owner of the WB Television Network.
The speech is scheduled from 12:30-2 p.m. in the TSC International Lounge. Afterward, there will be a question and answer session for students who are interested in learning more about Haskins’ work.
From there, a dodgeball game between students and education college faculty will jump start the rest of the planned activities. Danielle Schwarz, a junior in psychology and Education Days committee member, said anyone can play. Participation prizes will be given. Though the deadline for sign-ups has passed, people can come watch the showdown on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in HPER 209.
Schwarz said she is most excited for dodgeball because “it will be really awesome to watch everybody compete, and fun to watch faculty outside of the classroom environment.”
Education Days continues Thursday with free pizza on the TSC Patio at 11:30 a.m. Leezanna Hill, College of Education senator, said they will be on the patio until 1:30 or until the pizza runs out.
A spelling bee finishes up the celebration from 7-8:30 p.m. in the TSC Auditorium. Hill said she expects an even bigger turnout than last year with bigger prizes. Spellers have a chance to win, among other prizes, an iPod and a digital camera.
“We did it last year and it was a big hit, so we’re doing it again,” Schwarz said.
Though a planner this year, Hill was a spelling bee participant last year. She said the pressure from a spelling bee can get intense.
“Your heart kind of drops because ‘Oh I got the word wrong,'” Hill said. “It can be kind of intense because you actually have to work for what you are getting.”
Hill said a goal she has this year, as CEHS senator, is to showcase what the college has to offer students.
– la.stewart@aggiemail.usu.edu