Member Monday- Julie Florence

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

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