By Sam Genzale
Every year, PRSSA offers 16 members the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to give a competitive edge in pursuing careers in the nation’s capital. Students selected for the trip are motivated to further their career goals in public relations and public affairs. The event professionally develops students by showcasing the inner workings of advertising, public relations and public affairs based agencies and organizations. Students have the opportunity to network with PR professionals, communicators and government officials. The tour has given many students the experience and qualifications to land their dream job in D.C.
Grady College AdPR graduates have a strong presence in D.C. and students got to see how prevalent Grady College’s alumni base is during a networking event. PRSSA president Emma Crosby said, “It was really rewarding to attend the networking dinner with former Grady graduates and learn more about their roles post grad in D.C.”
To broaden UGA’s influence, students were exposed to different career opportunities in D.C. “I was reassured that the Grady prestige and presence really follows you wherever you go, and how many dawgs there are in D.C.,” said Crosby.
Along with networking, students visited different agencies and organizations to shadow professionals in the industry while applying class knowledge and skills to real world experiences. “My favorite part was getting to visit Weber Shandwick and having the opportunity to do a case study for USPS,” said PRSSA member, Valentina Drake. The tour allows students to engage and challenge themselves in the type of work that professionals in the field practice.
The event attracts students that are already craving to work in D.C. and gives them the opportunity to build connections they need to succeed. However, the event is also extremely beneficial for students that aren’t sure what exactly they want to do in their PR careers and want to broaden their perspectives. “The D.C. trip was such an eye-opening opportunity for me to learn more about different types of PR support teams that are less discussed, such as data science and measurement groups,” said PRSSA member Emily Goncalves.
Regardless of professional goals, students were able to benefit and learn from this unique opportunity, even if they might not have considered working in the nation’s capital before. “It was truly a memorable professional development experience that I will cherish forever,” said Drake.
It is because of exciting opportunities like these that PRSSA is such a strong community full of knowledge, zest, drive and companionship.
