Lee Bush publishes article on student-run communications agencies

Lee Bush, an associate professor in the School of Communications, recently published an article in the Journal of Advertising Education on student-run communications agencies at colleges and universities.

“Ten Considerations for Developing and Maintaining a Student-Run Communications Agency” was published in the Spring 2015 edition and examined best practices for creating a successful student-run agency that maximizes student learning.

The article includes guidance on funding, legal issues, online project management tools, establishing a strong creative team, giving students timely feedback and making the agency as “real world” as possible.

“For faculty advisors, managing a successful student-run agency can be much like running a small business,” Bush said in the article. “There will always be a certain amount of trial and error, but putting the right resources and processes in place will help make it a successful endeavor for both the department and the students.”

For the article, Bush drew upon her research with students, advisors and graduates of student-run agencies, as well as her 20 years of experience in the advertising and public relations agency business. Bush’s research on student agencies has previously been published in Journalism & Mass Communications Educator, Public Relations Review and PR News. She was also the founder of Elon’s own student-run communications agency, Live Oak Communications.