Capstone Class Leading Change with Heart
In spring 2025, 15 public relations seniors compiled everything they learned over their past four years at San Diego State University into a real-life campaign.
Blending classroom concepts with real-world challenges, the students collaborated to research, plan, implement and evaluate a comprehensive campaign for a client – showcasing the skills they developed and launching them into the professional world.
Before the course began, Dr. Kaye Sweetser, APR+M, Fellow PRSA offered insight into what students should expect.
“This is going to feel like a real job, because it is,” said Dr. Sweetser.
This course operated as a functioning PR agency, not just a class. Students were expected to show up prepared and conduct themselves professionally. Assignments were structured after real campaign work. Deadlines came throughout the week, not just during staff meetings.
“Capstone has been the hardest class I have ever taken, but it has also been the most rewarding class in my college career,” said Chloe Bonilla, HR manager. “The fast pace of the class, the high expectations and knowing everything you make goes out to a real client keeps you busy, to say the least.”
There is no campaign without a client. Starting in January, the team aligned their initiatives with the priorities of the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2010 to raise awareness about the dangers of sudden cardiac arrest. The foundation hosts six free heart screenings annually in the San Diego area to detect warning signs early and protect young lives.
Focusing on attendance at its screenings, the EP Save A Life foundation gave the team one main task: decrease the no-show rate at their March 30 screening. From there, they followed the RPIE process, learning the necessary steps PR practitioners take to turn insights into impactful outcomes.
The team began by conducting surveys and interviews with parents and youth ages 12 to 25 in order to identify strategies and tactics that would elevate the foundation and enhance its image.
Armed with key insights, the team launched a targeted digital campaign leading up to the March screening event. Branded content, tailored messaging and capitalization on cultural and social media trends helped the foundation boost its online reach, ultimately reaching a 15% increase in non-follower interactions and a 337.5% increase in viewership.
The team's outreach efforts resulted in media placements with San Diego Tribune, San Diego Magazine, KPBS, KUSI and nine community calendar mentions.
Working closely with a nonprofit organization challenged students to balance creativity with sensitivity, especially when addressing a topic as serious as sudden cardiac arrest. They adapted their messaging to resonate with both parents and young adults, learning to navigate nuanced audience segments with empathy and effectiveness.
The main goal the team worked towards throughout the campaign was to reduce no-show rates by 10% by March 30, 2025. With the team's consistent efforts, they made a 16% change to the no-show rate. To increase the attendance rate of the 18 to 25 demographic, the team created an extra credit opportunity for students who attend the heart screening. With these efforts, the attendance rate of the 18 to 25 demographic increased by 101%.
“More than anything, I am proud of my team for pushing through every obstacle to create a PR campaign that made a real difference,” said Aimee De Luna, team lead. “We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of this if it weren’t for capstone and Dr. Sweetser. Thanks to this program, I feel prepared and ready to take on a real-world PR job.”
As these 15 seniors graduate, they carry with them more than classroom knowledge – they leave with real experience, impactful results and the confidence to step into the PR industry.
The spring 2025 EP Save A Life PR team from JMS 585 Professional Practices in Public Relations included Abby Ahern, Marina Alexander, Chloe Bonilla, Maya Dabich, Aimee De Luna, Ella Deshautreaux, Carson Guite, Latisha Jordan, Hayley Lawson, Marissa Lee, Joel Nevarez, Trea Patterson, Analise Sauceda, Jennifer Sencion and Lupita Zamora.
