FPRA Student Capital Chapter Takes on Tampa
This past March, the Student Capital Chapter of FPRA traveled to the sunny city of Tampa, Florida for their Spring Networking Trip and were able to connect with and learn from several PR professionals covering a dynamic range of fields. Be it broadcast journalism or public affairs, the 12 students garnered incredible insight into various sectors and aspects of PR when they visited BKN Creative, Helios Education Foundation, the City of Tampa, WFLA-TV News Channel 8, White Whale Solutions, Catalyst Communications Group, Playbook Public Relations, and the University of South Florida Advancement Communications and Marketing Team. All of these organizations located throughout the Tampa area were not only gracious enough to host this group of promising young professionals but they were all reassuring and motivational in their meetings with the chapter members.
These semesterly networking trips allow students to connect with established PR practitioners, and others directly connected to the field, who can help them learn how best to achieve their goals and showcase what it is like to be working in PR full time after college. Many of the agencies even proved how beneficial those initial PR classes in school are, as White Whale in particular demonstrated how to professionally research and incorporate data analysis into a successful campaign. The joint meeting between Catalyst Communications Group and Playbook PR also emphasized fundamental PR skills specifically in regards to creativity and connections. The experiences and advice they shared with us proved how important it is to build those relationships among other agencies and in the media, as many plans in the face of unexpected setbacks succeed via on the spot creativity and leveraging those connections. We even had the chance to understand the other side of one category of connections found in PR by touring the WFLA-TV news station and learning what broadcast journalism values in stories pitched to them, as well as how they produce and report on those stories. The chapter was even able to learn how we should be telling our own stories, as one of the greatest takeaways from BKN Creative was how we should successfully stand out as young professionals. Not only should we develop unique skills and experiences that align with our own individual goals that set us apart from other job candidates, but BKN also emphasized how important it is to find an agency and work culture that supports and inspires us.
In many ways the 12 students who attended this Tampa networking trip found themselves supporting and inspiring each other, as this trip like the others before it served as a way to network with both professionals and peers just starting out in the dynamic field of PR. The students left this trip with a much clearer understanding of their career goals, stronger bonds with one another, and wonderful memories from the city of Tampa.
The FPRA Student Capital Chapter is tremendously grateful to all of the individuals and organizations they had the privilege of speaking with and for making the Spring 2024 Networking Trip as impactful as it was. They are eager to embark on their next networking trip in the Fall Semester and continue their professional journeys.
Author
Marlowe Dunn Flom is the Outreach Coordinator for the FPRA Student Chapter.