Kaitlin: Unleashed PR

Kaitlin ImageInternship.  The ten-letter word has the power to totally freak out college kids.  Thoughts of how to land a dream internship causes students to panic and lay awake at night, because sometimes it’s hard to get your start and find hearty experience to put on your resume.  Luckily, the Boston University chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (BU PRSSA) realized this and created Unleashed PR in response.

Unleashed PR is the BU PRSSA student-run public relations firm, which provides students with real-world experience. Students have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real clients, gaining hands-on experience to build their resumes and portfolios, which in turn, sets them up for internships and jobs.

I had the opportunity of experiencing two completely different sides of Unleashed PR- being an Account Executive for a client, and running the show.

Last year, I was happy to be placed on the Sweat and Soul Yoga account.  I worked on a team with four other students, and we spent the Spring semester brainstorming ways to increase the yoga studio’s clientele through fun and creative campaigns and events.  I learned so much about writing press releases, pitching to clients, and creating campaigns, all before I even took my first Public Relations class.  And the best part? I was able to put all of this on my resume.  After all, it was real-life work for a real-life client.

This year, my experience with Unleashed PR was entirely different.  With my friend Ellen Cohn, I decided to step up to be the Agency Director, or in fancier terms, the Vice President of Public Relations.  Although it was tough, this was the perfect opportunity to see exactly how a firm runs from the top.  I managed the student teams for clients like Inside Films, Project Mailbox, Sweat and Soul Yoga, Zaarly, Of Rags, and NYC rapper Hassan Salaam.  The wide range of clients allowed me to see inside the fashion, non-profit, technology, consumer, and entertainment PR fields.

Working with Unleashed PR as an Account Executive as well as an Agency Director has been invaluable.  Taking that first step into the public relations world can be terrifying, but I did it with ease through this internship-like experience.  So if you didn’t know where to start, now you do! Any member of BU PRSSA is more than welcome to join the team! Email me or visit buprssa.com for more information.

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The COM Ambassador program is available to current and prospective COM freshmen. We are here to answer questions and help you learn all the great things that BU, COM and Boston have to offer. Be bold. Be creative. Be COM. @BU

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