Shaping Future Business Leaders: Pierpont’s Experts Bring Real-World Lessons to the Classroom
Pierpont takes pride in educating and shaping the minds of young professionals. One of the key ways we do this is through our employees who teach at colleges and universities in their communities.
Read below to see how Pierpont CEO Phil Morabito, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy Chris Ferris, Executive Counsel Terry Hemeyer, and Account Executive Uniqua Williams approach teaching at these local schools.
Phil Morabito
Pierpont CEO Phil Morabito, for the 36th year, is teaching Integrated Marketing Communications at the University of Houston. This course for graduate students in the business school explores integrated communication marketing. Phil designed this course because he realized the importance of business students understanding public relations, advertising, and marketing strategy and tactics.
Phil goes above and beyond to ensure that his students soak up all the knowledge he has accrued over the years. He created “Real Life Nights,” a series of guest lectures that provide insight into different industries. He wants his students to hear from professionals who are implementing the skills that the students are learning.
When asked one thing he would like for his students to take away from his class, he said “hustle,” and to always be learning: “Life is about continuously learning.”
Chris Ferris
Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy Chris Ferris has been teaching digital marketing to MBA students at Rice Business since 2018. Chris says while he covers the same general topics every year—website design and development, SEO, social media, paid digital advertising, email, and analytics—the details of each area change dramatically and quickly.
“Last year, I wasn’t talking about X or Threads or Gemini,” Chris explains. “And I was barely covering generative AI. This year, I’m integrating AI into all my lectures and having to spend a lot of time sorting out the differences between the social media channels.”
That’s what he likes about digital marketing: the constant evolution of the field. “For some, trying to keep up with new technologies and the like can be exhausting,” Chris says. “And it can be for me too. Sometimes. But that is outweighed by how exciting it is for me to have to keep learning and figuring out how to explain new topics to my students.”
He also explains that teaching makes him a better professional. “Having to present ever-changing material to students forces me to sharpen my own thinking about how to structure digital marketing campaigns,” he says. “And I find that benefits our clients.”
Terry Hemeyer
Executive Counsel Terry Hemeyer is a member of the faculty of both the University of Texas Moody College of Communication and Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Management. This year Terry is teaching multiple classes as a guest lecturer on topics like diversity and ageism, earning a seat at the table (how to have a trusted, credible voice and be listened to), crisis management, and public relations and advertising strategies. Hemeyer also remains active serving on the UT College advisory and faculty disability advisory committees.
Uniqua Williams
Account Executive Uniqua Williams is in her second year of teaching at her alma mater, the University of Houston. This spring, she is teaching strategic communications writing and applications of strategic communications. As part of one of her courses, Uniqua oversees the student-run PR agency Valenti Integrated. This allows her students to gain real-life experience. They are currently working with clients in the sports industry, health, mental health, and non-profits.
Uniqua has a passion for educating the future generation of public relations professionals. She also understands the value of a well-rounded foundation before entering the workplace.
Summary
One of the core principles of Pierpont Communications is our commitment to education, and over the years, Pierpont has embraced and supported this principle. In addition to our employees teaching at Rice Business, The University of Texas in Austin and the University of Houston, Pierpont also has an online externship program where Pierpont experts teach participants specific skills and techniques.
In 2015, Pierpont also started the Pierpont Endowment at The University of Texas at Austin, which focuses on helping a 5-year faculty research on communication issues affecting businesses. Finally, Pierpont also provides philanthropic support to student organizations and professional associations.
Read more about Pierpont’s commitment to education, as well as our internship and externship programs.
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