NC’s Public Relations alumni will not let a campus closure interfere with their desire to share advice with current students.
Following the cancellation of the annual PR Grad Panel that was scheduled to take place in mid-March due to COVID-19, a small group of recent graduates from the program zoomed in on a brand new way to present the experience to current students – literally.
For the first time, PR students were invited to participate in the Grad Panel remotely, via Zoom, on March 27.
The alumni behind the event included three from the class of 2019 including Alex Rankin (communications advisor, Niagara Region Public Health), Katie MacCabe, (digital engagement specialist, Shaw Festival), and Serena Stewart (development officer for individual giving, United Way Niagara). Cody Cabral, who graduated in 2017 and is currently a PR specialist for CAA Niagara, joined them.
Rankin felt it was important for the Grad Panel to continue, despite the campus closure, due to her previous experience as a student. She and the 2019 graduates who were behind the virtual event also organized last year’s Grad Panel as students.
“I found the Grad Panel valuable for connecting with different professionals and I felt reassured hearing the perspectives and advice of so many successful individuals who were in our shoes,” said Rankin. “Chatting with my colleagues, we realized that, with the technology many of us are already using to work from home (during this time), there was no reason we couldn’t offer to help this year’s class continue with the Grad Panel (at a smaller scale) and provide them with the same opportunity that we all benefitted from it greatly.”
PR professor Emily McInerney noted that the PR Grad panel is a long-standing tradition in the program, which always takes place the last week of class, just before students begin their internships. Grads are brought in for small round table discussions followed by a large panel discussion and during both. Students are encouraged to ask anything they wish, related to preparing the launch their careers.
“The students often leave this event feeling excited and motivated – speaking to others who were in their shoes, in some cases, just 12 months before, and learning about their career path and success can be very inspiring,” she said. “We pride ourselves on having a strong network of NC PR grads who remain committed to supporting the program each year and in this regard, I feel we are a bit unique.”
McInerney said she was blown away when the four grads reached out immediately after this year’s Grad Panel was cancelled to ask if they could run their own for the class because they did not want current students to miss out.
“I was so busy attempting to transition our last week of class online that it simply was not on my radar to attempt to salvage this – so it makes it even more meaningful that they offered without me putting out the ask,” said McInerney.
Student Elena Coholan said she was pleasantly surprised when they heard that the grads had decided to host a virtual event for them. She was among a group of current students tasked with organizing the original 2020 Grad Panel as part of their Event Management class.
The event’s cancellation was understandable however, it was also disappointing for Coholan and her classmates due to all the hard work they put into the planning. She was grateful for the virtual event and noted how helpful they can be for students while studying remotely.
“I find it amazing that technology can connect us in this way. That teachers can still teach their classes and students can still learn, even if it is from home,” she said. “I feel as though it allows us to continue on with (somewhat) of a normal life and routine.”
As a student, she believed it offered a great learning experience for everyone.
“It allowed us to learn from people who have created so much success for themselves, all after being in the exact same position as we are right now,” said Coholan. “Sometimes it is hard to picture that we will all be successful in the future, but these grads are models of exactly how you can become successful from this program.”
PR alumni share advice with students
“It is important to keep in touch with your fellow classmates, especially if you are hoping to stay in the region. We’re all connected in some way, so you never know if you’ll need help in the industry. Also, once students are job hunting, I think it is important to ask the question, ‘How did your company respond to COVID-19?’ I think the way a company reacts and treats its staff is very telling.”
–Serena Stewart, development officer for individual giving, United Way Niagara
“You can learn something valuable from every experience. When you are beginning your job search it is okay to be selective, but don’t overlook what could be a great opportunity. You don’t need to jump at the first opportunity you are offered if your gut is telling you the job isn’t for you – but it is also important that you look at opportunities realistically and take every opportunity as a learning opportunity. You may end up gaining valuable experience from a role you didn’t consider to be your “dream job.'”
– Alex Rankin, communications advisor, Niagara Region Public Health
“My advice for this year’s graduating class is always to have a local mentality. Before you send your media release or launch your campaign, make sure to ask yourself how this benefits the people in your community. Especially within a region like Niagara – local comes first.”
-Cody Cabral, PR specialist, CAA Niagara.
“It is so important to have a ‘Trusted 5’ in this industry. That means having five (ish) people in your network that you can go to with any communications/work-related problem. You might be the only communications person in your organization or you might have a big team. Either way, you’ll eventually find that you’ve gone way too far down the rabbit hole on a project. When that happens, you need an honest, trustworthy outside perspective. This is an industry that thrives on collaboration and, well, communication. That means being able to ask people for help and advice. Having people in your circle that you can go to for advice will help you grow into a well-rounded communicator.”
Katie MacCabe, digital engagement specialist, Shaw Festival
