Why I chose PR (+ Tips for new PR students) — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

Like most of us, I fell into pubic relations. I started college with a graphic design major, but after several drawing classes and pointlessly constructing stuffed animals, I decided being an art major wasn’t necessarily my thing. Looking for a related creative path, I decided to change my major to advertising and public relations. In my mind, advertising was the “business” side of graphic design. That is when I accidently fell in love with PR. The combined major encouraged me to take both advertising and public relations classes and, in two short semesters, I started to see myself in a PR career.

I dove right into my new major and got involved. I became a PRSSA member and an active one at that. I started attending agency tours and professional development workshops, and I even represented Grand Valley’s chapter at PRSSA’s National Assembly in Portland, Oregon.

I love PR because it allows me to be creative and strategic. The profession itself is extremely broad, so my career options are endless and versatile. I may go into sports, fashion, health communications, non-profit, or even end up in an agency doing all of the above.

+ Tips for new PR students
1. Get involved! — We are lucky to have a killer advertising and public relations program here at Grand Valley. Take advantage of it! Join PRSSA, apply for GrandPR, and attend as many workshops and networking events as you can.

2. Intern/Job shadow — The endless career choices in PR can be overwhelming. Internships are a great way to find your PR niche. Not sure if agency life is your thing? What better way to figure that out than to intern at an agency? And if you don’t have a whole semester to commit, ask if you can job shadow for a day to see what a typical day looks like.

3. Get to know your classmates— They are going through this process with you and they get it (10things only a public relations major would understand). Your peers can be a great support system. They can also be a great network to have after graduation when you are looking for a job.

Why do you love PR, and what are your tips for new PR students? Let us know in the comments below!

Ashley is Grand Valley PRSSA’s V.P. of Chapter Development and an Account Associate for GrandPR. She has a passion for thrifting, making her the perfect fit to be working as a Marketing Assistant at Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids. As an advertising and public relations major, she loves learning about the latest PR trends.