Sarah Hawkins Finds Her Passion in PR 

By Mallory Cromer

Fourth-year public relations student Sarah Hawkins intends to make the most of her third and final year as a PRSSA member.

Hawkins is currently the event planning committee head. She previously served on the same committee for two years and gained valuable experience by planning the food for meetings and arranging the senior banquet. 

“I decided to be a committee head because I have many new event ideas I want to incorporate for our members,” Hawkins said. “I absolutely love working with my team to organize meetings and events that get our members involved and excited about PR.”

This past September, Hawkins attended the Choice Summit hosted by Choice Publicity in Franklin, Tennessee. The event aimed to inspire a sense of community and collaboration within the PR field. It also gave communications professionals a chance to share expertise about the industry through breakout sessions and panel discussions. Attendees had the chance to share their biggest challenges, lessons learned and recent successes.

Hawkins had the opportunity to hear from industry professionals on topics such as branding yourself and your business, influencer marketing and talent acquisition. In addition to this, Hawkins was able to network with others in attendance and form lasting relationships. She was reminded of the reason she chose PR as a career path– to build relationships with people.

“The Choice Summit was an invaluable experience for me because it gave a glimpse into the career field I’ll be entering in just a few months,” Hawkins said. “It allowed me to see what is currently happening in PR from the viewpoint of someone actually in the industry, rather than just a student.”

In addition to being involved in PRSSA, Hawkins also serves as president of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is also involved in her sorority and The Wesley Foundation.

After graduation, Hawkins hopes to spend a year travelling through Europe before returning home to work. She is unsure of which route to take within the PR field, but she knows the opportunities are endless.

“I absolutely love getting to talk to people and figure out what they are passionate about. I think everyone has a story to tell and a story that is worth being told. Lucky for me, I found a way to make a whole career out of this,” Hawkins said.

Throughout her experience at UGA, it is evident that Hawkins has found her passion in PR and will thrive in post-graduation life regardless of which path she takes in the field.