My first experience in corporate communications was as a student worker in the Office of Communications & Marketing at Baylor. I learned how to craft press releases, took a few photographs and learned some basic newsletter layout and design. It was a great training ground for the basics of news and information.

When student workers graduated, our boss, Dr. Michael Bishop, would give copies of the Dr. Seuss book Oh, The Places You'll Go. It struck me as a bit cheesy at first, but now, 20 years down the road, I have fully embraced the adventure, peril, uncertainty and challenge that Dr. Bishop was saying was before me as a communications professional.

It was Dr. Bishop who gave me my first full-time job after graduation, and it was he who suggested in 1994: "You should get involved in the Baptist Public Relations Association." His encouragement to join BPRA  the original name of BCA  was one of the best decisions I've made in terms of professional connectivity and why I'm honored to put in the time as president this year.

I've been blessed by rich relationships made through this great organization. I've hired freelancers and have been hired for freelance work myself as a result of BCA connections. And my first big job move after Baylor was a result of relationships made through BCA. In a nutshell, BCA, for me, is a collection of peers who "get" what I go through at work. Being involved with BCA has played a direct role in the adventure, trials and challenges of being a professional communicator.

I don't expect everyone to share my sentiments. Many of you are new to BCA and might see it as merely "the workshop in April." That's understandable, but I do hope you're open to having your perception changed. My desire is that BCA would become a year-round, top-of-mind resource and asset for you as a Baptist communicator. One of the best ways is to stay connected to other BCA folks through Twitter and the BCA Facebook page. And stay tuned & some good things are on the horizon. Oh, the places youll go ...

Blessings,
@RussRankin

Have you signed up for the BCA workshop yet? Get on it! In addition to the fellowship, great keynote speakers and the awards banquet set at the worldclass Schermerhorn Symphony Center, there's a great slate of breakout sessions that you will not want to miss.

Here's just a sampling of what you can expect...

Some practical, nuts-and-bolts workshops such as:

• How to Write a News or Feature Story From A to Z. This seminar will explore the basics of good journalistic writing including how to write a strong lead, the importance of smooth transitions and the value of sidebars.
• Communicator as Editor, Writer, Photographer & Videographer: when you have to be the all-in-one. This workshop will be held over 2 sessions and is all about the "multi" in multimedia. Pre-planning: choosing distribution methods based on the story type. Documenting: you have the gear, but how do you choose which one? Production: how to collaborate, edit and assemble your final multimedia production.

There will also be several breakout sessions discussing social media and how to maximize your effectiveness on that infernal Internet:

• Using SEO to Maximize Visibility Online. After this workshop, you'll be able to define the three key elements of optimizing for search engines, understand the most efficient and effective methods of SEO, identify areas of opportunity, plus be able to estimate your cost and expected return.
• Maximizing New Technologies. This workshop will identify some key technologies available to you today and introduce methods of leveraging these newer, more freely available technologies for more efficient and more effective time management, information management, and communications efforts (both internal and external).
• Using Social Media in Ministry Marketing. A discussion about social media like Facebook, blogging, and business networking tools like LinkedIn.

Are you finding yourself having to deal with the secular media? Do your higher-ups need some training in how to give an interview? If so, then this is the breakout session for you:

• Speak for Yourself. This training session is designed to equip spokespersons to prepare for and conduct successful interviews with the news media. The course helps participants: Understand how the news media work, evaluate requests for interviews, learn the ABCs of preparation, and bridge from difficult questions to key messages. In this two-session workshop, participants will conduct on-camera interviews and evaluate videotaped replays to gain experience and build confidence.

This is just a teaser of nearly 30 breakout sessions that will be offered at BCA in Nashville. See you in April!