October 20, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Stretch your wings. Reach for the sky. Go where no one has gone. This past summer Imagewest did all of this and you can, too.
Imagewest will open its doors to the public on Oct. 30, with an open house, presentation and gallery opening for its history-making trip to Malaysia.
Imagewest is the only full-service, student-run advertising and public relations agency in the nation. The agency traveled to Malaysia this summer for a month to work with its first international client, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). As part of a partnership between Western Kentucky University and IIUM, the Imagewest International Team designed and launched a new website, and created an opening video and backdrop for an International Conference on the Representation of Islam and Muslims in the Media. The account team also developed a public relations plan to help recruit international and exchange students from around the world.
During the open house, the community is invited to view Imagewest’s award-winning work and meet the students behind it. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Mass Media and Technology Hall, room 331.
“It’s an exciting time for Imagewest,” said Heather Garcia, agency director. “First we broke new ground by opening the agency, now we are breaking new ground by going international. It has been an incredible learning experience for everyone involved. The open house and presentation gives the community an opportunity to see what this journey is about and how they can apply what we have learned to their business.”
The presentation on Imagewest’s adventure in Malaysia will start at 5 p.m. in Mass Media and Technology Hall Auditorium. Following the presentation, there will be a gallery opening and reception for “Parallels: 7° North,” the new photography exhibit that chronicles the adventure.
“7° North is unique from other exhibits. We literally became part of the fabric at IIUM. At first, we didn’t know if we would be accepted, but we were greeted with open arms,” said Samantha Hughey, a senior designer and photographer for Imagewest. “Hopefully through my photography others who weren’t as lucky as me can get a taste of life from across the world.”
While in Malaysia, the team endured local life the same way regular students do at the university. They lived in the hostels with other students and shared the facilities such as restrooms, showers and washing machines as well as patronized the small convenience stores, food court and vendors across campus. The group formed many close relationships with students, faculty and staff throughout their stay.
Members of Imagewest International include Tori Burton of Fort Stewart, Ga., Katie Cecil of Louisville, Samantha Hughey of Crestwood, Kelly Scheurich of Louisville and Chelsey Shelton of Glasgow. Group leaders include Imagewest Agency Manager Heather Garcia of Franklin and WKU Advertising Professor Mark Simpson of LeSage, W.Va.
The current Imagewest team includes Burton, Hughey, Josephine Beeler of Elizabethtown, Maggie Hinklin of Louisville, Adam Faragalli of Nashville, Tenn., Hayley Farmer of Hopkinsville, Lizzie Childers of Vermon Hills, Ill., Zac Stout of Louisville, Trey Whitaker of Pembroke, Matt Plappert of Louisville, Michelle Graham of Hopkinsville and Ashton Biggers of Glasgow.
For blogs and photos about the Malaysia trip, visit www.imagewest.ning.com.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Heather Garcia or Josephine Beeler at (270) 745-8915.
-WKU-
"A leading American university with international reach"
Office of Media Relations
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-3576
Phone: (270)745-4295 - Fax: (270)7455387 - E-Mail: western@wku.edu