Public Relations Class Assists the New York Indian Film Festival

By: Damon Markiewicz

Springfield College Assistant Professor of Communications Fadia Nordtveit led her Introduction to Public Relations class to the international stage when the group assisted the 2024 New York Indian Film Festival with public relations video reels, that were used during the four-day event.

“Being a part of this project was so beneficial to the students because it gave them a real hands-on experience and prepared them for what it feels like to be working under tight deadlines in a real public relations studio setting,” explained Nordtveit. “The class worked together in groups, and made multiple PR (public relations) video reels that were played in front of more than 500,000 global attendees at the film festival. It’s so important for the students’ growth to be a part of a project like this.”

Participation in the film festival was the culmination of a very busy schedule for the students during the spring semester. Utilizing Nordtveit’s leadership, the class was able to get that real-word experience, and simulate the feeling of what it’s like to work in a real PR agency and work with a client that is nationally known.

The New York Indian Film Festival is North America's oldest and most prestigious film festival, and it celebrates alternative, independent cinema from the global Indian community. The festival is dedicated to providing filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals a platform to showcase their work, as well as creating an environment where filmmakers may exchange ideas with one another, and interact with discerning and diverse audiences, journalists, and aficionados. 

“As a class, the students embraced the challenges that came with working on this project,” explained Nordtveit. “They had to adapt to different challenges, while also using the skills they learned in the class. Being a part of this experience provided so many important teachable moments.”

Since arriving at Springfield College, Nordtveit has helped elevate the PR educational experience on campus. Nordtveit's research in the PR field includes environmental communication, global youth movements, new media technologies, and social justice. She is also the producer of a multimedia television project called Talking Out of Line. Nordtveit’s established communications background has allowed for her to bring her expertise into the classroom, and educate students on the history of PR, followed by hands-on projects throughout the academic year.

“We started out in the first half of the spring semester learning about the foundation of public relations, and the founder, Edward Bernays, sometimes referred to as the father of PR,” explained Nordtveit. “He took the approach that audiences had to be carefully understood and persuaded to see things from the client's perspective. We talked as a class about the mechanics of how people find out about events, the experience of it, and how people hold on to that experience.”