J840 Communicating Social and Environmental Initiatives

This is a very popular class and after having thought I’d missed the boat by getting admitted to school too late to join, I was excited and a little overwhelmed to find there was an opening last week!

I have a BS in Philosophy from KU and have just started grad school this semester at the Edwards Campus.  A few years ago I thought I’d never make it back to finish my undergrad, so I’m still trying to beleive I’m actually here!

At work, the past eleven years have kept me busy managing the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.  Social media networking has been a big part of how our participants keep up-to-date with auditions, promotions and each other as well as up-to-the-minute schedule changes. The entertainment department is really the best at it~I’m still trying to make it more a part of my daily communication system, so our guests are in the loop if they want to be!

I started a recycling program for our guests in 2007 that’s been getting more efficient each year. We go through a lot of cardboard and plastic. We’ve also reduced orders in printing a really focused on waste. About 14 tons a year now goes to recycling instead of the landfill. I’ve got a funny picture I’ll post later of me, my site managers and the man of my dreams in a twenty yard dumpster full of bottles.

I have a great kid who is also in school, down the way at Johnson County Community College,  soon to be heading to Lawrence to finish her BA in something related to photography. We have two great dogs, a few cats and are baby-sitting a bearded lizzard and two turtles.

More soon! See you in class~ Carrie Shoptaw