Over the past weekend, Emerson PRSSA participated in the Northeast District Conference at Boston University, PR Advanced: See Through Boundaries and Unlock Potential. The conference delivered engaging and relevant insights into diverse public relations themes, spanning from DEI to media relations, while also facilitating the opportunity for excellent networking among PR students from different schools. We asked three freshman PRSSA members on their key takeaways from the event, and here’s what they had to share:
Caitlyn LeVangie (Public Relations major, ’27):
I think that the biggest thing for me was hearing professionals talk about their career trajectories. It was really reassuring to hear that most people find their niche accidentally or through trial and error since it’s already a little daunting thinking about choosing an industry to focus on. I also learned about a lot of areas of PR that I had never thought about before, and will definitely be looking deeper into investor relations! The panels were definitely my favorite part, they were a great opportunity to get personalized answers from people whose shoes I hope to be in in a few years. I also really enjoyed finding my favorite speakers on LinkedIn the next day and having personal details to include in my connection notes!
Maxwell Brady-Lewis (Public Relations major, ’27):
This past weekend I got the opportunity to attend the Boston University PRSSA 2024 conference. I took part in three different workshops/panels hosted by industry professionals. Through attending this conference, I left with a better understanding of how to craft a superb résumé and the effects that AI will have on the profession. But I think what panel I took the most from was “Defining Your Why” hosted by Rachel Ballatori. This panel resonated with me the most because of Rachel’s own story of building her business. I was inspired to continue pursuing the career I want within the public relations industry. But also understand that just because the path you want isn’t visible does not mean you can’t make it.
Ella Duggan (Communication Studies major, ’27):
Attending the PRAdvanced Northeast District Conference this year with the Emerson PRSSA was an important opportunity for me to engage with the PR and communications fields outside of the classroom. Hearing from successful people who work in the industry about their career paths helped me to better understand my own passion for PR and what I am able to do with it. I learned something from every speaker I heard, but it was Rachel Ballatori, Founder and CEO of Mill+Co., who defined my overall experience at the conference. She talked about “knowing your why”, and how vital it is to know why we are who are and why we do what we do in this industry. We can have all the practical skills and education in the field that we want, but it is why we do it that will drive us and allow us to succeed.