Sam Sims

A big part of Sam Sims’ life is having mentors for all aspects of his life, both personal and professional. Now, as an adjunct instructor in Gaylord College, Sims has the opportunity to be a mentor for the next generation. 

Sims, a Fellow in PRSA, began as an adjunct in fall 2020. This semester, Sims is teaching PR Design and Media Writing and Storytelling. In the past, he’s also taught PR Writing and PR Campaigns. 

“It’s been years that I’ve wanted to be involved with Gaylord College, and I’ve wanted to work with the colleagues that I currently work with because they’re all phenomenal in their own right,” Sims explained. “They all have their own name and their own fame, and then you put them all together, ‘I would like to be part of that if I could.’ … It is unreal what Gaylord has been able to do, and that’s a huge testament not only to Gaylord but also to the university. It’s been a real honor to be part of it, and definitely my pleasure to serve as best I can.” 

After growing up in Edmond, Oklahoma, Sims attended Oklahoma State University. There he began as an engineering major before eventually finding his way to the public relations department. 

“I love the aspect that we get to communicate things, sometimes very difficult things and sometimes very easy things, with large groups of people and understanding how communication works,” Sims said. “It fascinates me, and I just love every little piece of it.”

Sims brings a range of experience to the classroom, having worked in a variety of industries including architecture, engineering, automotive, art and more. He also brings agency experience to the table from his time at Jones Public Relations. There, he worked for OU alumna Brenda Jones Barwick, who helped him better understand how public relations fits into our world. 

Throughout his career, Sims has also done freelance work, and after his last corporate job ended, he decided to start a firm, founding the Sims Grp in November 2018. Sims comes from a family of entrepreneurs as his parents and two older brothers either have been or are currently entrepreneurs, so that “entrepreneurial spirit is baked in.” 

Sims encouraged alumni to find a way to get involved in the students’ lives, whether that be speaking at a club meeting, becoming a client for Lindsey + Asp or any other avenue.

“We have so many alumni for Gaylord who are doing great things, and there is deep, deep value in sharing that back with the students as they’re coming through these programs,” Sims said. 

When it comes to his favorite aspects of being an adjunct, Sims said the ability to share knowledge with the next generation is critical for him to do. Regardless of the course level, Sims aims to help students think in a different way. For example, Sims may bring a news report to class and have his students talk through what they would do if they were a PR professional vs. an advertising professional. 

Sims also values the opportunity to become a piece of his students’ networks. His digital scheduling app is open to anyone to schedule a time to chat, and Sims said there are students who have graduated who are still connecting with him, which he enjoys. 

“The key to having mentors is not only learning from a mentor but also finding someone and sharing what you’ve learned with the next generation,” Sims stated. “That has been the key for me because it helps solidify what I'm learning, helps me question what I'm learning, because I'm having to teach it to the next level.”