Throughout the semesters, many public figures come to college and university campuses. Whether that is for Homecoming, career expos, or at random, students can come across public figures on their campus at any time of the year.
Although it can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, some students still question if public figures should be allowed on campus.
Jaylin Alleyne, a fourth-year public relations student from Waldorf, Maryland, says that sometimes boundaries can be overstepped if the proper procedures are not met.
“If there is not an official event they are hosting, I think that is how lines can be blurred,” Alleyne said. “If the public figures come on campus without authorization or permission, for example, the Boston Richey situation, it reflects badly on the school’s image.”
Alleyne refers to the Tallahassee rapper Boston Richey incident in late July. The incident involved the rapper filming a music video of Florida A&M University football team’s locker room.
The video was filmed unauthorized and caused much controversy over social media based on the music videos’ explicit lyrics and unauthorized events.
“If their personal brand does not align with our school values, it can make us look bad,” Alleyne said.
Jaydan Harley, a fourth-year broadcast journalism student, says it depends.
“If the person is coming to interact with the students and connect with their fan base on a more personal level, it can be a nice experience for the students,” Harley said. “The only downside to that is if the person is too much of a distraction to the students that they are not focused on their classes.”
Although both see from a pro and con perspective, Harley and Alleyne think students can benefit from the experience of meeting a public figure.
“You get students excited and more prideful about their school. Public figures bring a sense of awareness about the school and more interest.“ Alleyne said.