Alumnus dives head-first into Chicago market, cultivates global PR career

Could you please describe what you do as a senior account executive at Edelman?

I manage day-to-day relationships with the media on behalf of my clients. While I was in Chicago, I represented Hilton Hotels and Resorts, United Airlines and Northwestern Mutual. My biggest client in New York is Unilever, which owns brands like Axe and Suave. My job is to take whatever these companies’ priorities or initiatives are—whatever they’re currently trying to get out there in the marketplace as their own narrative or story—and bring that to the media with the goal of having them cover it. I coordinate with each brand to make sure everyone involved is telling a cohesive message. I also do a lot of global coordination, working with both Edelman’s and my clients’ properties, offices and entities all over the world.

How do you feel DePaul prepared you for this position?

DePaul has well-versed professors who know the actual marketplace; not just the theory, but how I was actually going to apply it in my career. My classes all pushed me to consider how I would actually fix a business problem, for example, or how I might think outside the box when directing something for my theatre minor. Because DePaul has professors who have actually worked in their fields, you get that real-world experience and understanding that I feel like you’re not going to get at every other school.

There’s also such a big emphasis placed on internships at DePaul. It’s so important, especially in PR and advertising, to have internships under your belt. I knew that none of the big agencies would hire me without that experience, so that was really crucial for me. All of my professors were so well-connected to the industry in Chicago, and they really did help me get my foot in some doors.

Tell us about your involvement in the PRSSA. How did it contribute to preparing you for your current role?

It got me so excited about my industry and what I could potentially be doing with my future. Having that kind of access to PRSSA—which is a national organization that is tapped into an even larger professional network—is a huge thing in the industry. Every agency feeds into it, and a lot of their key players are a part of it. I gained exposure to so many aspects of the industry—what you actually do as a PR professional, how to write your résumé so it gets noticed by recruiters in this industry, how to conduct yourself at networking events, what kind of questions you should ask during interviews, etc.—and so I started thinking about all of those things early on during my time at DePaul. By the time I was a senior, I felt so prepared to graduate and join the industry.

How did DePaul’s location in Chicago help prepare you for your career?

I took advantage of being in Chicago by using it as a chance to network and expand all my contacts. There are so many different companies, brands and news outlets here, so you can really get to know the landscape of a major market before you actually dive into a full-time job. Each internship I had in Chicago led me to the next one. I did an internship with WGN Chicago, for example, which gave me a lot of local knowledge and connections that my current colleagues are so appreciative of—especially when we’re talking about reaching local markets during a campaign.

Why did you choose DePaul?

I knew I wanted something in a city versus a small town or college town. I also wanted something that wasn’t just going to be me investing in four years of school, but me being able to invest in my career long term. Being in Chicago allowed me to think further ahead into my career.

I also really valued that the classes were smaller. I wanted to be taught by professors—not teaching assistants—who would invest in my future and know what I specifically wanted to do. I remember graduating and feeling like I knew all of my classmates and professors, even though DePaul is still a pretty big school.

Finally, I have to say that I had the best tour guide during my campus visit. She was genuinely excited about DePaul, and that excitement was contagious. After that, I couldn’t wait to apply, and when I got in, I didn’t even have to look at the rest of my acceptance letters. I knew I was going to DePaul.