By Lizzie Wamsley
On Nov. 21, PRSSA members were given the opportunity to visit Jackson Spalding and See.Spark.Go. Members had an exclusive look into these agencies and network with public relations professionals.
Kristin Couch, a member of the Jackson Spalding team, showed PRSSA around the Athens facility. Couch has worked with Jackson Spalding for five years and shared valuable insight on how each team possesses its own expertise. Members then had the chance to network with Bryan Harris and Hannah Williamson. Each of them shared their past experiences and the habits they learned to get to where they are now. As a young professional, Harris offered the advice to value the relationships you build with colleagues in the industry as they are vital.
Next, members toured See.Spark.Go. Kaci Pollack, public relations account lead, shared a powerpoint that highlighted key elements of what makes an agency run smoothly and effectively including collaboration, client relationships and strict organizational skills. Pollack then led a discussion with students about traditional public relations including writing media recaps for the week, creating achievable plans and researching new clients. Members learned how See. Spark. Go. runs client social media accounts and then had the opportunity to network with other professionals at the agency.
Overall, the Classic City Tour gave PRSSA members a new perspective on the creative and strategic processes that go into building successful public relations campaigns. One student commented on the experience saying, “It was a tremendous learning opportunity for me to gain a better understanding of public relations and different paths for the same career goals.”
The next meeting is PRSSA’s Holiday Social on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in Studio 100. Annually, PRSSA gives back by sponsoring two children in the foster care system to bring them gifts. Sign up for gifts here: https://bit.ly/34k3Dqy. Please bring unwrapped gifts to the meeting.
