PR Pros Mentor Next-Gen Talent with Real-World Wisdom
Posted on Feb. 18, 2024 / Professional Development / Subscribe 0
By: Herminia Rincon, Professional Development Chair
The PRSA Phoenix Chapter had the pleasure of partnering with the Public Relations Student Society of America, Arizona State University Chapter, to host the PRSSA Networking Night at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU.
Current and past PRSA presidents, Lisa Sass and Heather Vana, were joined by Valley PR professionals who dedicated their afternoon to impart the knowledge they’ve accumulated throughout the years.
Vana was joined by Diane Smith, Public Relations and Communications Manager of Pima Medical Institute, and Lindsay Kirsh, Founder and Chief Strategist of Slayer Public Relations for a panel hosted by John Nicoletti, ASU professor of practice, PRSSA faculty advisor and executive director of the Cronkite Agency, where students heard about various aspects of their career and their most pressing questions.
“Don’t think you have to have a straight trajectory,” Smith said. “Nobody I’ve ever met really ever does. I thought broadcasting was me forever and things change. You have to be able to find a core thing you love about whatever it is you’re doing and stick with that.
The panelists also joined several Valley professionals from wide-ranging industries for a “speed meet-and-greet” with students.
ASU student and PRSSA President Gabriella Herran felt an event such as this one was missing at Cronkite.
“With strategic communication-focused studies and public relations and digital marketing rising in popularity among students, there is a bigger need for events catered toward students who want to learn more about the different avenues available within these fields,” Herran said. “I was happy to address that need and call on my connections to make an event like this happen.”
As PRSA members, we offer professionals opportunities to continuously learn and grow. Still, it’s also important to support the next generation of PR professionals and guide them as they enter the field.
Sharing that she only enrolled in a public relations course in college to fill her schedule, Vana’s experiences helped her realize that what she assumed she disliked (public relations) would be something she truly enjoyed and would become her career.
“Finding what you don’t like is just as important,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to try different things and make sure you are confident in what you don’t like.”
Vana’s words ring true, regardless of the industry.
“I think it’s absolutely critical that everybody works both agency and in-house to decide what you like the most,” Kirsch said.
And while Kirsh’s career started interning at an agency, she admitted that it was not a good fit for her.
“I powered through it because I tried to see the value at the end, early on in my career,” she said. “The initial exposure to working under pressure, meeting deadlines, working 15 hours a day as an intern and learning how the office works when everyone is coming up to you and their project is more important than the last person, how do you manage that and how do you learn how to say no? If I hadn’t stuck it out, I don’t think I would have learned those skills.”
When you begin your career, saying no is hard, but the panel let the students know they share that sentiment.
“I never wanted to say no,” Vana said. “Sometimes you need to step back from things to recenter yourself and keep yourself happy. I was putting others before myself. That’s a tough lesson to learn when you’re younger. You have to go through it to learn it.”
Vana's parting wisdom: Be open to all experiences. Even if you're kicked when you're down, that doesn’t mean you need to stay down.
Herran’s vision for the event is that it gave students – whether beginning their education or getting ready to graduate – the opportunity to build connections.
“Whether these connections are with companies they’re interested in or a chance to connect more about an industry they never thought they could go into, my goal with this event was to show students that there are several paths they can take,” Herran said. “Their first job doesn’t have to be the end all be all.”
A special thank you to everyone who dedicated their time to advance the field of public relations through their attendance and guiding young professionals as they embark into the industry after college.
Entertainment
Lisa Sass, Senior PR Account Executive
Serendipit
Health
Mikala Morris, Sr. Marketing and Communications Manager
Jackie Gonzales, Marketing Manager
Valleywise Health Foundation
Hospitality
Emily Wininger, Senior Tourism Sales Manager
Experience Scottsdale
Technology
Heather Lawrence, Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing Communications
Collins Aerospace
Non-profit
Nicole Barrett, Senior Digital Marketing Manager
Mairany Garcia, Marketing Coordinator
Make a Wish Foundation, Arizona
Non-profit
Sarah Farrell, Content Strategist
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Sports
Doug Tammaro, Sr Assoc Athletic Director, Media Relations
ASU Athletics
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