Member Monday- Joey Jiracek

In addition to being a member of Illinois State University Public Relations Student Society of America, Joey Jiracek is part of another student facet of ISU’s School of Communication, the Promotion and Development team. 

What is the School of Communication Promotion and Development team?

 The School of Communication Promotions and Development Team consists of interns who plan all of the events for the School of Communication here at Illinois State University. Those events include Family Day, Homecoming tailgate, the Antique Show, COM Week and the Career Institute.

Why did you want to join the SoC PD team?

 I attended some of the panels at COM Week last year and saw how well organized everything was, I then became interested in planning the events. It’s also a great way to network with communication professionals in the University. Since it’s through the SoC, I feel better connected to both the professors and students. I wanted to be able to leave ISU feeling that connection.

Which events have you worked on so far?

 I’m actually doing something new this year. I’m working with Dr. Steve Hunt to send out email blasts to the Alumni Advisory Board, which is a group of about 40 SoC alumni. We send them monthly blasts in a newsletter format. I also help out with planning and setting up for the other events.

What are you doing to prepare for COM Week?

 For COM Week, we all have our own panels to plan. I’m in charge of the Crisis Communication panel. Nothing is officially set yet, since it’s a new panel this year. Dr. Rebecca Hayes will probably moderate it since she teaches the crisis communication course. Overall, we’re trying to make the panels more interactive this year. We’ve received feedback from students saying that that’s what they would like to see during COM Week. Students are interested in having more time to ask questions and network with the professionals.

What have you learned so far from being involved with SoC PD?

So far, it’s been an opportunity to really hone in on responsibility and take charge on an assignment. With the email blasts, I have to generate the content and layout. I’m not a web designer, so it’s a lot of trial and error in figuring everything out and to plan for how long it takes to put something like that together.

How will you use the SoC PD internship in your future?

 One of the reasons I was interested in joining the SoC PD team was because of the event planning aspect. I want to be involved in planning events in my future career, so I am glad to now have the background experience in that area. Overall, the internship allows me to take on responsibility and gain experience in networking with professionals. So far I have learned a lot about working on a team with other leaders and what it means to collaborate to make an event successful. All of the skills I am developing can be useful in a variety of careers.

What would you say to students interested in joining the SoC PD team?

I would tell them that it’s a really great experience. For people who are looking for an internship, it opens so many doors for you. You’re the face of the SoC and we have to represent the school well. We have a lot to live up to, but it’s a really great experience to test those skills. 


Questions composed by Cassidy Obis

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Joey with other SoC PD members