Kate Keener is a junior exploring new opportunities at Illinois State University, meeting everyone she can through her membership in the ISU Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Between changing her major three times and recently switching schools, Keener has had a unique college experience. The value Keener places on learning and family has helped her get to where she is now and come closer to her career goals. Tell us about yourself. I am 20 years old and from Crystal Lake, Ill., a suburb northwest of Chicago. I just transferred to ISU from Indiana State University. I have changed my major three times because until now, I have never been sure of what I wanted to do. I started off as a special education major, changed to marketing, and am now in public relations. I transferred to ISU because of how amazing the public relations program is here. It has really challenged me, and I can already see a difference in what I am learning. What attracts you to public relations? I chose the public relations major because I love working with people and thinking creatively. I want to gain experience in event planning or do public relations for a sports team in the city. My dream job is to work with Special Olympics, where I want to intern this summer. How has membership in PRSSA benefited you? I joined ISU PRSSA as a way to get involved on campus, meet people with the same career goals as myself, and network. Being a member has helped me meet a lot of wonderful people who have made my transition to ISU easier. What are some things most people do not know about you? I have a twin brother who has intellectual disabilities. He has participated in Special Olympic events since he was 15 and is the reason I want to work for the organization. I have a passion for the outdoors and love hiking, traveling, and anything to do with water. My favorite season is winter because I love the snow. I have been snowboarding for the past six years and look forward to visiting Colorado for the second year in a row during winter break. Questions composed by Chloe Kasper
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Junior member Allie Keck is an individual with a unique story. She transferred to Illinois State University this semester as a public relations major. Keck has a passion for people, writing, and undeniable musical talent. Tell us about yourself. I am 20 years old and from a small town in central Illinois called Neoga, which is about two hours away from Bloomington, Ill. I chose to major in public relations because I am a people person, and I love to write. The only organization I am involved in on campus is the ISU Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, and I am so glad I decided to join. My dream job is to work in the public relations department for any music or record company. What are you passionate about? My passion is music. I have been singing since I was able to talk. Singing is something that I pursue outside of my regular coursework. I perform whenever I can and to whomever will listen. I play three different instruments: the piano, ukulele, and my favorite, the guitar. I have played the guitar for about five years, and it is kind of a comfort blanket for me when I perform on stage. Why did you choose ISU? ISU was the only school to which I applied. I loved the campus, and I heard nothing but great reviews of the public relations program here. My favorite part about ISU so far has been meeting new people and challenging myself in the courses in which I am enrolled. I also have family members who attended ISU and loved it. I am so glad I picked this school. Tell us a fun fact about yourself. I tried out for the reality television show American Idol for the fourth time this summer. This summer was the first time I made it through to audition with the executive producers. I gave the best performance of my life that day; it just was not for what the judges were looking. It was an amazing opportunity to see all of the hard work that goes into making the show, and I loved every minute of it. I have met some of the coolest people at those auditions, and I plan to try out again next year. Questions composed by Allie Trosper Imani Henry is a sophomore public relations major at Illinois State University with a minor in financial planning. As a first generation college student, Henry aspires to work for UNICEF and hopes to study abroad in Ireland upon graduation. Tell us about yourself. I am a first generation college student from Evanston, Ill. I began my journey as a Redbird last fall. Aside from being a PRSSA member, I am also a tour guide for East Campus. I hope to become a resident assistant next fall and study abroad in Ireland over the summer. I initially attended an ISU PRSSA Chapter meeting as an assignment for COM 178, Introduction to Public Relations. However, I instantly fell in love with the members and atmosphere this professional organization has and knew I wanted to become a member. Why do you want to study abroad in Ireland? Since grammar school, I have been obsessed with the Irish culture and secretly wanted to become a river dancer. I recently discovered there is a summer study abroad program to Ireland for 17 days, which is like a dream come true. I love that its only 17 days because it’s long enough to experience Ireland but short enough that I will not become homesick. What are you involved in on campus? I am involved in UNICEF, which is new to campus this semester. Last semester, I joined the Pre-Law Club because I have a passion for law and the justice system. Describe your dream job. I would love to work in agency or nonprofit public relations, but my dream job is to work for UNICEF on the crisis management team. I would relocate anywhere just to work for UNICEF. What attracted you to UNICEF? Last semester, I watched a documentary in a politics class about couples in America who were in the process of adopting children internationally but endured complications due to the faulty system. The documentary showed videos of orphanages in Vietnam, Haiti and Africa. It was painful to see images of malnourished children being treated more like farm animals then human beings. After the earthquake in Haiti, UNICEF intervened by successfully uniting couples with children that had been in the process of adopting for months, some even years. UNICEF changed the lives of those children. After watching the documentary, I knew UNICEF was the organization for me. Who inspires you? Lauren Conrad—she has done public relations for Teen Vogue and written a best seller. She is not only a well-known blogger but also a fashion designer partnering with Kohl’s. Lauren Conrad has accomplished many things that I admire. What's one change you would like to see occur in your lifetime? I want to see equality between men and women. I cannot wait to see the day where women and men have the same pay rate. We have come a long way since the women’s suffrage movement but we still have a long way to go. Questions composed by Kellian Reed Junior Jackie Salamanca’s passion for communication is contagious. This passion has led her to leadership and involvement opportunities that have enriched her experience as an ISU student, and made her a good example for new communication majors. Tell us about yourself. I am from the suburb Lincolnwood, Ill., located on the north side of Chicago. My major is communication studies with an emphasis on organizational leadership. I chose this major because it focuses on the people side of business. I love that this major allows me the opportunity to work in several different areas and not be pinned down to one particular career. I also chose to be a communication major because communication is an important skill to have in all careers. What is your dream job? I would love to work in corporate communication because I can see myself working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. A corporate setting would allow me to use and develop a variety of skills. I love how corporate communication also has marketing and management elements. What organizations and clubs have you been involved in while at ISU? During fall 2013, I was a part of the public relations and external staff at the student radio station, 103.3 WZND. I am a member of the ISU Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. I am happy I joined this organization for the new and endless opportunities for professional development. What are you passionate about? I have a deep passion for communication. I have grown and matured from understanding all aspects of communication. I see the way people work, and it gives me an understanding of how organizations work and most importantly, why people are the way they are. It is this understanding that makes communication a beautiful skill. Do you have a favorite memory or experience from your time at ISU? I do not have an exact favorite memory. I would say that each year I spend at ISU becomes an amazing memory for me and in turn a wonderful experience. I think the transformation from a lost, shy freshman to becoming a confident and determined junior has been my favorite experience by far because of how much I have grown and learned. Questions composed by Allie Trosper Fashion is his passion. His name? Tyler Krivich. This sophomore public relations major has a full plate involving his dedication to membership in the Illinois State University (ISU) Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), work as a resident assistant at Watterson Towers, duties as an Office Admissions crew member and membership of the Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF) organization. Let’s find out how he does it all. Tell us about yourself. I was born and raised in Plainfield, Ill. I am a public relation major with a French minor. I joined ISU PRSSA this year, and I am a proud redbird. One of the best experiences I have had as a student at ISU was studying abroad in Paris and seeing La tour Eiffel at night. You have to devote a lot of time to your role as resident assistant. How do you balance your responsibilities at ISU? Yes, it can be challenging to balance my studies, resident assistance duties and the other obligations I have at ISU. On the other hand, I am grateful for the chance to expand my leadership abilities and employ my creativity through all of these opportunities. I enjoy being a resident assistant because I can design door decorations and bulletin boards, and put together programs for my residents. Why did you choose the public relations major? I came to ISU as a theater major but quickly realized that I lacked the passion I used to have for the art. I switched my major to English since it was my favorite subject before college. Still, I was unsure about the English major. After I expressed these uncertainties to my academic advisor, he suggested I look into communication. Last spring I took introductory courses for both public relations and mass media and attended COM Week. After immersing myself in this field I instantly I knew public relations was for me. I have a passion for people, social media and writing. What is your dream job? I want to work at a fashion public relations agency. Both Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue Magazine, and fashion icon Kim Kardashian inspire me. Questions composed by Imani Henry Eric McEwen enrolled at Illinois State University his junior year as a transfer student studying public relations. As a new student to campus, McEwen wanted to become involved in his field, so he joined the Illinois State University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Tell us about yourself. I’m from Bolingbrook, Ill. I attended Joliet Junior College for two years before coming to ISU. I am studying public relations, and I am currently involved with ISU PRSSA. I hope to combine my passion for law with public relations in the future. Why were you interested in ISU PRSSA? I came here in August, and ISU PRSSA is one of the main reasons I really wanted to attend ISU. I read that this Chapter would help me hone in on the skills necessary to be successful in this industry. I’ve only heard good things about the public relations program at ISU, and several people emphasized it was a great school for anyone interested in the communication field. Outside of ISU PRSSA, what are you involved with and interested in? I want to focus on my studies my first year here at ISU, so I am not involved with any sports or registered student organizations besides ISU PRSSA. I plan to get involved in more organizations in the future. However, you can often find me in the Student Fitness Center. Besides my scholastic endeavors and ISU PRSSA, I enjoy reading, writing poetry, listening to music and playing guitar. I also have a fascination with exploring the idea of other realms of existence beyond what we currently know about. I love watching documentaries on the unknown, sociology and philosophical ideologies. I am intrigued by what goes beyond the typical mundane human experience. I embrace the fact that life is complex, and I enjoy researching various aspects of reality. What is your dream job? My dream job would include both public relations and law. I would love to be a criminal defense attorney. I haven’t decided on my career yet, but I have considered going to law school. How did you become interested in law? I've had an interest in criminal defense for quite some time because I love debating and using facts and information I've gathered to defend a claim. The career has a very respectable salary, too. Where do you find your greatest motivation? Believe it or not, my greatest motivation is fear. I believe that fear is an active presence around me, but it doesn’t come from within myself. Figuratively, I keep fear caged, and I monitor it to make sure it doesn’t escape and take over my will to persevere. Basically, I live life motivated by the fact that if I fall into the wrong crowds, I will succumb to negative influences. I’m self-motivated and strive to get lost in my education to see the true potential of my capabilities. Some say it’s weird, but I find peace in my own philosophies. Questions composed by Kellian Reed In addition to being an active ISU PRSSA member, Kimi Sanden is a student-athlete and public relations intern for the ISU Redbird Hockey team. Who said doing it all was impossible? Sanden proves them wrong by balancing her time with everything she enjoys. Tell us about yourself. I am from Manilus, Ill. where I attended high school, danced and ran cross country. I am a part of ISU’s cross country and track teams. I originally wanted to study physical therapy, but after joining ISU PRSSA my sophomore year, I realized that public relations was what I wanted to do. I have studied abroad in London, Paris and Amsterdam, which was the most interesting experience of my life! How do you maintain in peak physical fitness while balancing school, ISU PRSSA and your internship? I think it’s important to stay stress-free and learn when to say no. Staying organized is important too. I stay healthy and in shape by running an average of 55 miles each week. In addition to running, I usually go to the gym where I bench-press, squat and do other strength-building exercises. I also try to have a balanced sleep schedule. Sleep is the most important to me because it helps me stay focused and alert with my daily responsibilities. How has running for ISU influenced the other things of which you are a part? I feel as if I have gained a better experience of what ISU has to offer. My involvement with track and cross country allows me to have a reputation for hard work amongst my peers. It has given me confidence to branch out and become involved in other things on campus too. Tell us about your internship with the ISU Redbird Hockey team. I am the public relations intern for the ISU Redbird Hockey team. This position gives me experience with working in sports public relations. I assist in the creation of press releases, promotions, advertisement, sponsors, professional relationships and more. Outside of weekly intern meetings, I attend every home game where I assist with in-game operations. Have you experienced a moment in which you overcame a barrier that you thought was insurmountable? Running is 90 percent mental. Confidence is what enabled me to overcome any doubts I had. You do not realize what you are capable of until you try. I push myself a little bit each time I run. For a while, my longest run had been 11 miles. Over the summer I decided it was time to push my limits. One day as I was running, I decided I would attain that goal and make it to 12 miles. Despite how my body felt or what my mind told me, I knew I could reach it. I apply this mentality to areas other than just running. Your mind is a powerful tool and when you believe in yourself and push your limits the outcomes will surprise you! Questions composed by Eric McEwen In addition to being a member of ISU PRSSA, Lindsey Clark is a staff reporter for The Vidette, ISU's student newspaper. Tell us about yourself. I transferred to ISU last January as a journalism major with a minor in cinema studies from a community college in DeKalb, Ill. I have always loved to write; I remember my cousin giving me a journal for Christmas when I was seven years old, and I have been writing ever since. I have so many journals from growing up; it is kind of like a timeline of my life, which is really cool to look back at now that I am older. I also enjoy being outside, riding my bike, dancing, watching movies, and reading biographies of people who inspire me. I am also a big fan of coffee, pizza, and sushi, not necessarily all together. Why did you get involved as a reporter at The Vidette? As a journalism major, I knew how important it was to get involved with some sort of publication while in college, and I knew The Vidette would be an awesome opportunity to do that. I would read issues of The Vidette my first semester here and thought how cool it would be to be a part of it. I also want writing to be involved in my future career in some way, so I figured the best way to get my feet wet with that was to apply to be a reporter and learn as much about the position as I could. What do you like most about being a reporter? I love how much I have been able to learn both about myself as a writer and ISU as a University. One of the best things for me to do to learn more about ISU after coming here in the middle of the school year was to become a reporter. Working for The Vidette has also helped me to develop much stronger interviewing and writing skills than I had before. I have grown so much as a writer in the last year in being a part of The Vidette and look forward to continuing to grow. It is a great learning experience that I would encourage anyone who enjoys writing to apply to – you don’t have to be a journalism major! How has PRSSA helped you with your position? Even though I am a part of the development committee now, I started off in the relations committee when I transferred here. PRSSA is actually the first registered student organization I joined at ISU. Doing some of the blog and newsletter writing for the relations committee is what gave me the confidence to apply for a news reporting position at The Vidette. I found that I really liked writing about events happening within ISU and wanted to keep up with that. There are a lot of common elements between journalism and public relations. I think of myself as a journalism student interested in the public relations side of things, so I also have that perspective to bring to the work I do from being a part of PRSSA. Do you plan to keep writing after graduation? I always want to keep writing as a part of my life no matter what. Some people express themselves through art or music. For me, writing is my creative outlet, both personally and professionally. As a student journalist, I love being able to help others learn more about the community they live in and keep them informed about what is happening in the world around them. Questions composed by Maggie Ziemann Tell us about yourself. I am a sophomore public relations major with a psychology minor. I am from a small farm town, Manlius, Ill. Aside from being a student, I am also a member of Illinois State University’s Cross Country and Track teams, which keep me pretty busy. When I do have free time, I usually like to spend it with my close friends and family, reading, looking for new ideas on Pinterest or finding opportunities to travel to different places. How did you get involved in cross country and track? Growing up, I always enjoyed running and loved competing at the annual track meet our school held throughout elementary school. In junior high and the first two years of high school, I was mainly interested in the sprinting events, such as the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter run. But I wasn’t fast enough to qualify for the end of the season state meet, so I gave the 800-meter run a try and ended up loving it. My junior year of high school, I went out for cross country to improve for track, and I received All-State honors in both cross country in the fall and the 800-meter run that spring. So, my senior year was spent running anything from the 400-meter dash to the three-mile race, depending on the season. Why did you choose to continue your running career at ISU? It was after my junior year in high school that I decided that I loved track enough to want to pursue a running career at the collegiate level. I began receiving several recruitment letters, and it was such a great feeling. I originally was looking to go somewhere smaller like a Division III school, but once I got a letter from ISU, I decided that I definitely wanted to experience running at a Division I level. I looked at a couple other schools, but I knew all along that ISU was the perfect fit for me. I am incredibly happy that I ended up here! Do you have a favorite song, playlist or genre that you like to run to? I usually prefer to listen to my “Country” Pandora station when I run by myself. It’s really relaxing, but sometimes I will change it up and put on the “Today’s Hits” station. Do you have a routine for before you run? Besides the standard warm-up, there’s nothing I really do that’s different from everyone else on the team. I do have certain pairs of socks that are specifically for racing only; I don’t like to change into them until right before my race when I put my spikes on. I like to think it brings me good luck. How do you manage being a student athlete and staying involved with PRSSA? I really enjoy being involved with PRSSA and getting to interact with other students who are also passionate about public relations. So when I see that there’s an event and I don’t have anything going on with track or school, I usually try to sign up and participate. My distance coach has been really great too about letting me miss practice occasionally for all-day events like agency tours in Chicago. Running shoes: Nike, Adidas or Reebok? Nike, definitely! If you didn’t run, what other sport would you compete in? I’m not sure if this qualifies as a sport, but I used to be on the dance team in high school and loved it. If I wasn’t running, I think I’d try to do something that involved dancing. Questions composed by Ali Seys Do you ever wonder who runs the Campus Recreation Twitter handle? Illinois State University’s PRSSA member Kellian Reed gives us an inside look on her marketing assistant internship with Campus Recreation. Tell us about yourself. I transferred to ISU after my freshman year at a small liberal arts college close to home in Chicago. I heard about ISU from its nationally recognized PRSSA Chapter, which attracted me to the School of Communication. I am a public relations major because I am a bold, creative thinker and I love helping others. I am outspoken, talkative, a blind optimist at times and I am not afraid of teamwork. I look for a lesson in every new opportunity, and from building upon my experiences thus far, I have grown a love for connecting with people and working in a fast-paced environment. I was born and raised in Chicago, so I have an appreciation for diversity; I love being around people of different backgrounds, skill sets and talents. I believe diversity is a chance to learn and grow, which led me to the endless opportunity field of public relations. Tell us about your marketing assistant internship with Campus Recreation. As a marketing assistant, I can admit no two days are alike. It’s kind of funny because a lot of people don’t understand what public relations majors “do,” so my boss tosses everything my way. I work between 10 to15 hours a week. My primary job is managing the Twitter handle for Campus Recreation. The last week of every month I am responsible for compiling the tweets for the upcoming month. I spend the week studying current trends amongst the world of fitness. I do not have a background in fitness so this initially was very difficult. I look for healthy tips, health awareness days/months, inspirational quotes, along with any upcoming events to promote. I plug them into HootSuite then the rest of the month I work on any projects in the office. I also attend weekly meetings with the facility managers from all departments where I take notes on upcoming events or promotions. As an assistant, I am responsible for the contact information for everyone in the office, sport clubs managers, intramural, adventure, etc. I help prepare press releases from new programs and events, where I often meet with different mangers to pull quotes. For the past couple months, I have had the opportunity to work on the new Campus Recreation program guide, which will be more of a magazine. I have interviewed over a dozen students from sport clubs, employment, group fitness and intramurals. I compile the questions, interview, transcribe, and then write a feature story. My manger then decides what will run in the issue or not. I have a lot of fun meeting new people on campus, but I definitely had to learn to step outside my comfort and put my classroom knowledge to work. What do you like most about interning with Campus Recreation? Aside from the marketing assistant position, I had the opportunity to intern with the hockey sport club. I absolutely loved it! I became familiar with Greek life, registered student organizations and the local community by handing out tickets to games, looking for sponsorship and hosting theme nights. I have to say from interning at Campus Recreation, I have learned to love meeting new people and stepping outside my comfort zone. I never saw recreation or sports in my career path, and now I see it as a whole world full of possibilities. You meet so many people and when you get to see out an event or how a fundraiser plays out, the smiles and energy from the crowd shows the change you helped be a part of. It is priceless! Then the party is over, and it is onto the next stressful project. I love it; it is an endless cycle in a good way. How has PRSSA helped you in your internship? PRSSA taught me that you are never too late or too early to take a stab at the public relations world. Seeing the executive board take such an active role on campus is inspiring. I also see so many of my peers and people in my major do so many great things. I am so motivated to do more than just be another public relations student. PRSSA encourages you to step outside the classroom and become a professional. The opportunities for professional development are those that you cannot get anywhere else on campus. What are some of your career aspirations? I am currently going where the tide takes me. I am on the agency life kick right now because it is most similar to what I do at Campus Recreation. I would love to work on an account for any big company within an agency. I always have the big picture in mind, but I also pay attention to the details in the little things. I could also see myself going into the sports field, either basketball or hockey. Sports public relations is fast-paced and forever-changing; I think it would be a good fit. Questions composed by Julie Florence If you can't find Connor Jacobs at a coffee shop or longboarding around campus, he is probably brainstorming ideas for Colleges Against Cancer. Tell us about yourself. From Algonquin, Ill. with dreams of making it out to LA, I am a junior majoring in public relations, even if it takes me another four years. I love coffee, trying to eat healthy and play basketball too much. As for hobbies, you’ll find me longboarding around campus, playing guitar or doing something music-related. I am an unashamed “Game of Thrones” nerd, hoping to finish up my second reread by the time season four officially starts. What is your role and involvement with ISU Relay for Life and ISU Colleges Against Cancer? As President of Colleges Against Cancer, my typical day consists of meetings with our advisers, team members, American Cancer Society and groups around campus such as athletics, to brainstorm and plan for our events to promote cancer awareness, like during Breast Cancer Awareness Week and Relay for Life. Relay for Life, which takes place on the quad on Friday, April 25, is our biggest fundraising effort along with the biggest philanthropic event at ISU. Since I am in a management role, my focus is on managing our team, making sure we meet our goals and staying on task. Why is this an important and meaningful cause for you to be a part of? With cancer being such a widespread disease, we all have loved ones whose lives have been altered by cancer. For me, it clicked when my dad was diagnosed with leukemia my freshman year of college. His diagnosis reminded me that this disease does not discriminate, and we all can and should take action to fight back against cancer. How has your public relations and PRSSA experiences helped you in your role for the organization? Public relations and PRSSA has definitely made me a stronger leader and also more creative when it comes to promoting our events, especially with social media. We have gained around 175 Facebook likes this year and about 50 Twitter followers. With so many incredibly talented people in our Chapter and major, I am always learning, and I like to think a little bit of their talent has rubbed off on me. What is your favorite part of working to end the fight against cancer, and why should more students get involved? One reason more students should get involved with Colleges Against Cancer or any philanthropic group is for how rewarding it is. For Valentine’s Day, we donated flowers to survivors at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, and it was incredible to see how much hope flowers and some kind words can give someone, even if it just distracted them from treatment for a little while. It was truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. My favorite part about working with Colleges Against Cancer is that once we finally finish the fight against cancer, just like we have with every other major disease that has haunted this earth, I will be able to smile and I know I played a small role. If you are interested in joining our team or making a Relay team of your own, check us out on Facebook or Twitter at ISU Colleges Against Cancer and @ISURelayForLife. Questions composed by Lisa Crocco When junior member Lauren Vahldick isn’t searching for a new destination to explore, she’s busy tackling two internships, as well as being a full-time honor student at Illinois State University. Tell us about yourself. I am a junior public relations major with a creative writing minor from Naperville, Ill. In my free time, I love to read and keep up with my favorite TV shows, particularly “Scandal.” My favorite things in the world are eating, shopping and traveling. I was lucky enough to combine them all when I studied abroad in Florence, Italy last year. I met the greatest people, traveled to the most beautiful places, and ate a ton of pizza. I love new experiences and have a whole list of places I am dying to travel to. What activities are you involved in outside of PRSSA? In addition to PRSSA, I am a member of the honors program and participate in the honors book club. I love reading and have always wanted to be in a book club. As lame as that sounds, I absolutely love it! I also have two on-campus internships that take up a lot of my time. One is with Summer Session promoting summer school. The other is with the Office of Admissions helping potential incoming students to learn more about ISU. Can you tell us about your internships and your role in each position? I have been the intern for Summer Session since last August, and it has been a fantastic experience. It is my first internship, and I am very lucky to have an amazing supervisor to learn from who has really helped me get a feel for real world public relations. I manage all of the Summer Session social media pages and host information tables to promote the program across campus. Our campaign this year is “Get Your Ducks in a Row,” so I have been passing out rubber ducks and having duck-related contests. We are currently preparing for the Summer Session duck race in April, so that has been a big focus this semester. At my viral marketing internship through the Office of Admissions, my job is to create content for its social media pages. We have different assignments each week, whether it is composing tweets, taking photos for Instagram, or creating blog posts. In addition, all interns each have their own category to write about, and mine is on the different departments within ISU. It is writing intensive, but it is great practice and I really do enjoy it. What are the experiences you have had with your internships, and what will you take away from them? I have learned so much through my internships. When I look back at where I was a year ago, I have come such a long way. I could not write a press release, I was terrified of cold calling and I generally had no idea what I was doing. Not only have I gained experience from my internships, but also confidence in my abilities in the public relations world. Now that I have seen how rewarding internships can be, I cannot get enough of them! How has being a public relations major helped you in your internships? My internships and classes have really complemented each other and have helped me apply what I learn in the classroom to real life. I have had to research, pitch and write press releases in my current internships, all of which I learned through communication courses. Currently, in my crisis communication class, I am working on an honors project that is a vulnerability assessment and crisis plan for Summer Session’s duck race. I think it is so cool that I am able to use what I am learning in class to create something beneficial and useful for an actual event. Questions composed by Calysta Will Tell us about yourself. I am a junior public relations major with a minor in writing. I am the youngest of five children, the only girl and a twin. I spent half of my childhood in Boston, and when I am not at school I live with my family in Grayslake, Ill. What are you involved in outside of PRSSA? For the past two years I have been a peer instructor for the Success 101 program, which is a course that helps first year students transition from high school to college. I also work as an assistant for the Watterson area office and currently hold two internships. Could you tell us more about those internships? Sure! I am a marketing and communications intern for Special Olympics Illinois working under Michele Evans, who has been an incredible mentor. On a daily basis, I help create all of the publications, such as writing and editing press releases, biographies, newsletters and feature stories. I have also helped compose press kits and design advertisements for events. And what about your second internship? This internship is more project-based. Throughout the semester, I have been working with the Student Government Association through the Dean of Students Office with John Davenport, the faculty advisor. The Student Government Association is in the middle of restructuring and updating their transition materials, and that is where I come in. Thankfully, I took COM 297, research methods, last semester. It has been a great help in the research and survey portion of this project. To put it simply, my job is to design a more clear and concise transition book for incoming members. What do you enjoy most about your internships? I really appreciate how much I have been able to get hands-on experience and apply some of the concepts I have learned in my classes to the work I produce. I also could not have better people supervising me. I thoroughly enjoy working with both Michele and John because they have really taken the time to teach me and allow me to build on my skill sets while creating a safe work environment where I am able to learn without fear of making mistakes. How have your internships helped you as a public relations major? Like I mentioned before, I have really been given a great opportunity to practice what I have learned in my classes. I think the best way to improve and apply knowledge is to get out there and do it. I suppose overall, I am learning to talk the talk and walk the walk! Questions composed by Stacy Sullivan When member, Julie Florence isn’t spotted in the kitchen whipping up a tasty desert, you can find her writing for Her Campus Illinois State, one of Illinois State University PRSSA PRi clients. Tell us about yourself. I’m a senior public relations major with a writing minor from Orland Park, Ill. I have been a contributing writer for Her Campus Illinois State for the past three years and I love it! I’ve met a lot of great girls through it and I also have had the opportunity to create many writing pieces for my portfolio. I have also worked for Campus Dining Retail Services for the past three years and when I’m home for break I work at Cherry Berry Frozen Yogurt Bar. I recently started interning with Radio Bloomington (WJBC, B104, WBNQ) for marketing and promotions, so it’s been fun gaining new experience in my desired field! What is Her Campus and what is your contribution to the RSO? Her Campus is an online magazine that was founded by a few Harvard graduates, then expanded to different college branches. Our Illinois State University Chapter was founded in 2011 and it has grown so much! We write about all different topics such as health, beauty, campus celebs, food blogs and more. We also feature events that are going on around campus as well. When we first started, we were assigned to articles. Now we get to choose what we want to write about. It gives everyone a lot of creative room to write about things they are passionate about. We recently became a Registered Student Organization, so that has been a great achievement. The girls on the staff put in so much work so it’s great to be acknowledged. What do you like most about being a Her Campus writer? I love the staff. I’ve created some great friendships through writing for Her Campus and I’m so thankful! Every once in a while we will have get-togethers with all the girls where we all bring food and just hang out. I love that we work in a really laid back environment but we are still dedicated to getting our work completed on time. I also love that I can write about whatever I want. One of my favorite things to do in my free time is to look up crafts or recipes on Pinterest. I used to do a segment back when I first started called “How-To Tuesdays,” where I would share a craft, project or recipe I created. I might start that up again soon because I’m sure a lot of college kids are looking for quick, easy and affordable recipes or crafts. How did you first get involved with Her Campus? During my freshman year at Illinois State University, I saw all these posters everywhere promoting Her Campus. I thought it was a cool concept and I very quickly became a loyal reader. I’ve always loved writing, so I decided to apply for a writer position. I started at the beginning of my sophomore year and have been on the staff ever since. It’s crazy to see how much Her Campus Illinois State has grown. When I first started, there were about five writers. Now we have 24. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to witness how Her Campus ISU has really taken off. It’s such a great experience and each girl brings something so unique to our team. How has being a Her Campus Writer helped you as a public relations major? Since I’ve been writing for Her Campus for about three years, I have written many different types of articles. I’ve written about 40+ articles in the time I’ve been writing for Her Campus, and I think that could really benefit me in the future. Not only does it show my writing style, but it can also show that I’ve stuck with a certain organization all throughout my college career. It’s also helped me work under deadlines which had definitely helped me as a public relations major. As a public relations major, a big part of the industry is being comfortable talking to people. I’ve had to get in contact with local businesses to try to gain sponsorship as well as interview students and business owners. I think this has definitely made me more comfortable speaking with different publics. How has PRSSA helped you outside of building your career? When I first joined PRSSA, I didn’t know many people. I switched my major at the beginning of my junior year from English to public relations, so it was hard to adjust. I eventually met people in my classes who are in PRSSA so it made attending the meetings more comfortable. I think PRSSA is a great way to network within our Chapter. There are so many bright people who have big futures ahead of them. People will end up in different states, different fields maybe even different countries, so it’s good to keep in contact with people from the Chapter as a possible connection. Questions composed by Maggie Ziemann Tell us about yourself. I am a junior public relations major, born and raised in Bloomington, Ill. I have one younger brother Grant, who is a freshman at Heartland Community College. I go to Illinois State University full time, nanny during the week and have worked at Victoria’s Secret for two and a half years. I am a typical Type A personality who loves to be busy. When I have nothing on my agenda I don’t know what to do with myself. Thankfully, that rarely happens. Aside from PRSSA, are you involved in any other groups or RSO’s? I am the secretary for the College of Arts and Sciences Council, and I am also currently on their Budget Committee. Do you have any internship positions or career-related jobs? I don’t have an internship this semester. I am focusing on the CAS Council and my teaching assistant position for Karla Huffman’s COM 268 class. What are some things that you enjoy doing in your free time? I love to read and run. But let’s face it; I love my quality time with Netflix just as much. I am a huge movie buff. My favorite movie of all time will always by “Man on Fire” with Denzel Washington. My friends make fun of me for being a walking IMDB. If you see an actor on TV or in a movie and can’t pinpoint how you recognize them, I can probably tell you exactly what he or she has been in. It’s a meaningless obsession, but it’s my meaningless obsession and I love it. Spending time with friends is a priority of mine but I’m also very adamant about making sure I have alone time to clear my head and meditate. Meditating while I run or do yoga helps me to control my inner Type A monster and make way for new writing and public relations ideas. I also dedicate a lot of my free time to my family. We are very close and like to do things together whenever possible. Tell us one interesting fact about yourself. My only interesting fact is that I have been to London to visit the set and meet the cast of “Harry Potter” through my brother’s Make-A-Wish. It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had and I will never forget it. Do you have a favorite blog or social media site? My favorite social media site would have to be Twitter. I love that one tweet can spark a worldwide conversation where everyone can connect and share thoughts. I think it is a huge asset to public relations practitioners and has changed the way the world shares ideas and opinions. What are some of your career aspirations? My biggest aspiration is to get a job position in international public relations. I love the idea that publics all over the world influence each other through trends and social media. I would love to go to another country to get other perspectives and experience international public relations on a larger scale. Questions composed by Calysta Will |
AboutPRecisely PR is the blog of the Illinois State University Chapter of the PRSSA. We write about Chapter events, the public relations industry, member profiles, and more. Archives
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