Fresno State Students Urge Their Peers to Visit and Cherish Yosemite National Park

Date: April 16, 2012

Advanced PR Student Project Encourages Students to Escape, Explore, and Exhale

Fresno State's advanced public relations students are launching a multi- faceted public relations campaign encouraging students to safely visit and cherish Yosemite National Park. The "Escape, Explore, Exhale: 90 Miles to Your Wild Side" campaign targets young adults and invites Fresno State students to delve into nature and discover the natural beauty of the park this April.

To "Escape" students are encouraged to visit the park and be both safe and prepared while visiting. To "Explore" students will be educated about the myriad of activities they can do at the park, as well as the calories they can burn while hiking, biking, rafting, etc. Students will also be urged to "Exhale" during their visit and support preservation efforts.

"Visitors should take some deep breaths, leave no trace, and enjoy their surroundings," said Jessica Chamberlain, spokesperson for the campaign. "We want to encourage a heart of preservation among students and let them know that Yosemite National Park is THEIR park, with much to see and do safely."

Scott Gediman, Assistant Superintendent of Public & Legislative Affairs at Yosemite National Park, agrees. "Although Yosemite National Park has received over 4 million visitors each of the past two years, the park has seen a decline of young people visiting the park," he said. "Targeting young adults to visit the park is vitally important to our mission, and the future of Yosemite National Park. We're thrilled to be working with the students of Fresno State University on this innovative and relevant campaign."

In addition to social media messaging, a website and media outreach, the "Escape, Explore, Exhale" campaign will include:

• • Thursday, April 19, from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center on the Fresno State campus: Advanced public relations students will distribute campaign materials and take pictures of students with the "I love Yosemite" sign and bear mascot.
    
    
  • Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Bulldog Diamond: During the Fresno State Softball doubleheader, there will be announcements, photo opportunities with an "I Love Yosemite" poster as well as a student dressed in a bear mascot costume and campaign item giveaways.
    
    
  • Friday, April 20, through Sunday, April 22, at Vintage Days on campus: There will be a mock campsite set up with more photo opportunities with the "I Love Yosemite" posters, the bear mascot, a trivia game, and campaign material giveaways.
• • Monday, April 23, to Thursday, April 26, at the Henry Madden Library: There will be a tabletop display in the library foyer to promote the campaign, National Park Week, Fee Free Days and "Fresno State Day" (April 28) at Yosemite National Park.
• • Wednesday, April 25, and Thursday, April 26, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in front of the Kennel Bookstore on campus: A mock campsite similar to the one at Vintage Days will be set up to promote the campaign.
  • Saturday, April 28, at Yosemite National Park is "Fresno State Day" at Yosemite National Park. Students who visit the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a valid Fresno State ID will receive campaign materials and prizes (while supplies last).

There will also be a Spanish-language version of the campaign to encourage the large Latino population on campus and in the surrounding community to visit, be safe and preserve Yosemite. The slogan will be "Escapa y Explora a Yosemite. Empieza la tradicion." ("Escape and Explore Yosemite. Start the tradition.")

"We are thrilled to be including a Spanish-language component in our Yosemite campaign," said Professor Betsy Hays, who teaches the class conducting the campaign. "The students wanted it, the client wanted it, and it made sense according to the research. So we figured out a way to bring in the resources to make it happen."

Information about the campaign can be found at www.EscapeExploreExhale.com or via Twitter @90milesYosemite or @ExploraYosemite or at Facebook.com/EscapeExploreExhale or Facebook.com/EscapaYExplora.