Author: evantom

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.

Whether you like the beat, the instruments or the lyrics, there is much more to every song and artist than you may think. 

During PRSSA ICON 2023, I attended the breakout session “Look at the World of a Music Publicist” presented by Keisha Monique and Shawn Caesar, where I learned about the world of PR and marketing professionals that bring the music industry to life. During the presentation, I gained valuable insights and advice from Monique and Caesar, who each had several years of experience working across different facets of the industry.  

Monique is a PRSA board member with 15 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications and the founder of Keisha Monique Public Relations firm. Her experience includes collaborations with BET Television, TMZ, NBC News, Power 104.7, DTLR and more. Caesar is a DJ and music producer who co-founded Unruly Records and DTLR Radio. He has worked with artists such as DJ Quicksilva, Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion and many more. Currently, he is the Vice President of Marketing at DTLR.

Monique started the session by highlighting the importance of passion when it comes to the music industry. The music industry is not a cookie-cutter field, she emphasized, and in order to succeed, aspiring publicists must use their genuine interest and passion to break through the competition. Although simple and seemingly apparent, this insight excited and inspired me as an aspiring music industry professional. 

Monique and Caesar then went on to talk about the areas they handle as music publicists. They are in charge of event promotion, social media management, crisis management, interview preparation, content promotion, branding and marketing collaborations and much more. This list of responsibilities made me even more eager to strive towards being a music publicist one day. I am passionate about the music industry and being able to also take part in PR at the same time makes me even more excited to work towards my goal. 

The two also stated that a music publicist is an individual who serves as a bridge from the artist to the target audience. I want to be that bridge and hearing them talk about how they are/ have been that bridge has been truly inspiring and has helped me view the industry with a fresh mindset and fresh set of eyes. Serving as this bridge can be a lot and it truly requires understanding both the artist’s brand and their audience’s needs. There is no faking it until you make it when it comes to the music industry. Hard work and passion can help you not just to be this bridge but to be successful.

Being in that room while the two shared insights into their distinct campaigns and projects within the music industry, along with recounting their journeys as music publicists, solidified that this is the career path I envision myself finding fulfilment and happiness. Being able to combine the two things I love through music and public relations is exhilarating to me. While the competition within the music industry is pretty intense, I know that with drive, passion and love for music, I am well-equipped to succeed. There are so many amazing aspects of being a part of the music industry, but the most important thing Monique and Caesar preached was to remember that you need to believe in yourself and be willing to take risks to get to where you want to be to succeed.

About the Author:  Mackenzie Wren (She/Her), Junior, Public Relations Major, Journalism Minor, Podcasting, Radio & Streaming Media Minor

Mackenzie is a junior Public Relations major with minors in Journalism and Podcasting, Radio & Streaming Media. She joined PRSSA to become more immersed within the PR community, as well as meet more individuals who love what she loves. Outside of PRSSA she is involved in WECB, where she is a Programming Director and co-hosts the radio show “girls, interrupting”. She is also Social Chair for her sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi. Off- campus, Mackenzie loves the beach and enjoys discovering new music.

Connect with Mackenzie

Kindness Day takes place on November 13 and aims to promote the importance of being kind to others, oneself and the world at large. While kindness should be practiced every day, November 13 is a special day to unite and celebrate each other through acts of kindness. We would like to spread this kindness throughout the entire week!

Our chapter has planned to cover the Piano Row lobby window with Post-it notes containing kind messages. Throughout the week, the window will be filled with these notes, visible not only to the Emerson community but also to the public Boston community. Our hope is to spread kindness as far and wide as possible. 

How to get involved:

It’s easy! On Monday, November 13, simply pick up a Post-it in the Piano Row lobby, write a kind message with the sticky side facing you and we’ll stick it on the Piano Row lobby so that it’s facing the world! 

Examples of messages:

• “You’re doing great!”
• “I’m happy you’re here.”
• “You’ve got this!”

If you post about this event on social media, please tag our Instagram @emersonprssa!

Can’t join us on Monday? You can still participate! Email our Vice President of Membership through email at daniella_white@emerson.edu.