For decades, print and broadcast journalism students at Kent State have had outlets through which they could gain experience and build resumés before graduation.

The Daily Kent Stater and TV-2 offer students a way to put their classroom knowledge to practical use.

Now public relations and advertising majors have an outlet.

Flash Communications was started in the fall of 2003 as a way to help public relations and advertising majors gain real-world experience, as well as take some of the work load off the office of University Communications and Marketing.

"The program has been great for the students and the university," said Tom Neumann, the associate vice president for University Communications and Marketing.

"It helps us tremendously. We can give them assignments we might not usually have time for or spend more time on bigger projects, while providing a good opportunity for the students."

Bill Sledzik, associate professor of public relations, said it is very much a real-world environment.

"The students must apply what they learn in class and, in the process, meet the expectations of their clients within the university," Sledzik said. "Our Flash Communications students are, in every sense of the words, 'working professionals.'"

Rob Jewell, an instructor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the program's coordinator, said the students work on the full range of public relations and editorial services that one would expect to find in an agency setting, including writing stories for e-Inside Kent State and Kent State Magazine, writing news releases for local media and working with clients on advertising.

"They get an opportunity to work in a lot of different areas," Jewell said.

Flash Communications started with just two public relations students and expanded to six public relations and advertising students this semester. Jewell said there already are eight students lined up to work for the program in the fall, and he's hoping to continue expanding.

"There's a tremendous amount of interest in positions and somewhat limited space," said Jewell, adding that he would like to eventually include students in graphic design, photography and videography to the group.