What did you study at IU? What was your extracurricular involvement like? I studied journalism with a minor in gender studies. Throughout my time at IU, I aimed to always be involved in something that would serve my professional interests – I worked as a copy editor at the Indiana Daily Student, I was active with PRSSA primarily through the Bateman competition, and my senior year at IU, I served as the public relations chair for the Miss Indiana University Organization. I was also very active with my sorority and enjoyed participating in the Indiana University Dance Marathon as a dancer and group representative.
What has your career path been like since graduating? Upon graduation, I was fortunate to be accepted into Edelman Chicago’s Immersion Program (formerly called the Enrichment Program), where I spent my first 18 months out of college rotatating through five distinct practice groups within Edelman’s Chicago office. At the end of the program, I spent one year working in Edelman’s B
usiness + Social Purpose group, followed by the past two years working in Edelman Chicago’s Health practice, where I currently support primarily health-focused association/nonprofit clients and pharmaceutical clients.
Can you tell me about a typical day for you at work?While no two days are the same, my typical day involves managing multiple projects across the different accounts I support. This includes developing materials to support client campaigns/m
ilestones (such as press releases, talking points, FAQs, social content, internal communications, etc.), as well as ensuring everything is executed on-time and under budget. Right now I’m in the thick of 2018 planning, which involves developing the strategic communications approaches and tactical recommendations for each of my clients’ key projects throughout 2018.
What is your long-term career goal? My long-term career goals continue to evolve! However, I’m always focused on growing my leadership skills and honing my expertise in association and no
nprofit communications.
Do you have any favorite memories from PRSSA?
My favorite memory was working with my “Batemates” on our campaign, “Let’s Get Fit Together,” for the 2012 PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition. Our team gelled so well and had so much fun working together to strategize, execute and evaluate our campaign. We also received invaluable support from Prof. Dennis Elliott, who advised us throughout our 6 months working on the project. It was an amazing, rewarding experience that I highly recommend to any PRSSA members considering it!
What advice would you give to current PRSSA members? Take advantage of each opportunity to explore your professional interests (through extracurriculars or internships) and to network with alumni who are
working where you want to be! Don’t be afraid to reach out for an informational interview/phone call – forming connections can be vital to nabbing your dream job, right out of college or even many years later. Most importantly, always work hard and believe in yourself! It’s corny, but it works.