By Corinne Appel
As a student who felt like social media was my only future path, joining Hawk Communications student-led firm had me excited to finish my last semester. I currently intern at BMLPR, a local public relations agency. This sounds like a public relations position for the agency, but it was really a social media position. I yearned for that public relations experience but felt it was difficult while having no public relations background. Without scoring my internship at BMLPR, I would have never gained insight experience of working in that type of environment.
However, Hawk Communications taught me hands on experience of what it was like being a part of the team. While at my internship, I was surrounded by media pitches, press releases or any typical public relations tasks. Now, I was a part of them now. I did not realize how much there was to be involved in with the on-campus organization. I would be completing tasks from social media management, content creation, public relations and even event management. I would have never seen myself doing media pitching until I completed it for one of my clients. I enjoyed being able to spread awareness of a great nonprofit, the NJ Warriors hockey team.
I have always liked planning and seeing an event come together. Although I never got client event experience, I learned that I would love to become more involved with event management after graduation. I also knew that from the start of my Communication and Media Arts major, I loved communicating with people and making connections. If not working directly at a company, working in an agency environment is just as hands-on. It was nice to gain insight on this side of the industry to gain a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. Whether I am letting my creativity flow or brainstorming ideas, I was constantly connected with my teammates. My client groups included: NJ Warriors and Autism MVP. This reminded me that clients, projects, pitches and most anything can change at any moment. I thrive for a fast-paced environment where things are not the same each day, and Hawk Communication was the perfect glimpse into that for me.
When COVID-19 transferred our organization online, we were forced to communicate with teammates and clients through email. I did not get the chance to organize or attend any events this semester, but I believe if I were able to, it would have been a success with my enthusiastic personality and versatile skills. The outcome of how I saw myself finishing this class was different. However, the experience dealing with clients and learning new skills helped me regardless of the path this semester took. Throughout my time at Montclair State University, I learned to step out of my comfort zone while pushing myself to a limit I never thought I could reach. I am truly prepared to take what I learned in this class and apply it to a public relations firm or any position that I land after graduating from Montclair State.