How The Windy City Blew GVPRSSA Away

They don’t call Chicago “The Windy City” for nothing. Myself and the rest of Grand Valley’s Public Relations Student Society of America students who attended were figuratively and literally blown away by our trip to Chicago.

As VP of Professional Development, a main part of my role is planning fun agency tours and engagement opportunities. It has been a great experience for me to get to network with professionals in the industry who so graciously open their doors to us. They offer guidance to us young professionals who are eager to enter the integrated communications industry. 

From attending the tours last year to planning them myself, I have been able to see the ins and outs of this process as well as enhance my networking skills-which is exactly what these tours are all about. I am thankful for my position on the GVPRSSA Executive Board which has enabled me to make these opportunities happen.

Visiting Edelman

Our first stop was Edelman, where we were greeted by the lovely Janice Cornell and some of her colleagues. We toured their overwhelmingly large, but amazing, office and got to see the “Edelman Museum '' where you can find all of the company’s history. It was cool to see a visual timeline of when all of their clients started working with them. They have some of the most well known clients you could ever imagine from Starbucks to United Airlines. Their founder Daniel Edelman’s original desk is still in their office building today, which is a great representation of the company's character. It’s admirable that they still honor him to this day. 

We finished touring the museum then headed upstairs to their rooftop lounge. They have one of the prettiest views of Downtown Chicago I have ever seen! We had to get a group picture out there. After Janice offered us some of their Starbucks coffee, we sat down for a panel with four amazing Edelman associates. We got to hear all about the projects they work on everyday and even how one of them got free Lululemon clothes. Did someone say every girl's dream job? 

Motion Agency

Motion Agency was our next stop and we were immediately greeted by Idalis Serna and her colleague with a welcome sign personalized with our names on it. This was super thoughtful and a great way to start our visit. 

As we walked around the office, all I could think was how much I loved the vibe of the place. It was industrial but felt cozy at the same time... With the most perfect view of the Chicago River and an inflatable Frankenstein Halloween decoration, what else could you ask for? Oh, and how could I forget the adorable office puppy who was eager to meet us? 

After taking a quick snack break, we got to learn all about the backgrounds of our presenters as well as the company as a whole. I thought it was interesting how all of these professionals came from different backgrounds from different states and were brought together by the Motion Agency in Chicago. Overall, It was an amazing visit. 

Best Pizza in Chicago

Would it be a Chicago trip if we didn’t stop at the famous Lou Malnati’s? I’ve heard the answer is no! I was told we must stop here for pizza by many people, and I’m so glad I listened because it was delicious. I definitely will have to get it again next time I’m in town.

Don’t Miss Your Chance 

This tour to Chicago has opened my eyes to new opportunities and a new area I could see myself relocating to for work. The professionals from both Edelman and Motion Agency offered us some amazing insight into this world we will soon be entering. I can’t thank them enough for making this happen for our chapter. 

Thinking about joining GVPRSSA on our next agency tour? Do it! While it may be intimidating to put yourself out there in front of professionals in the industry, just know that they were in our shoes one day and are happy to help those of us who are interested in what’s ahead. I may be biased, but I think these are opportunities you will not want to miss. 

If you have any questions about these tours or how you can get involved, contact me at sedestrk@mail.gvsu.edu and I would be more than happy to help in any way I can. 

Kendall Sedestrom is a junior studying Advertising and Public Relations with an emphasis in PR and a minor in Digital Studies. She is the VP of Professional Development for GVPRSSA. She enjoys doing work in graphic design, has an interest in the social media and influencer marketing world and hopes to work with that in the future. Outside of her studies, she enjoys taking yoga and spin classes at the GVSU Recreation Center.