Students meet with public relations professionals

By Kaeli Todd

Cardinal Staff

Photo by Dean Beckman

Members of the Saint Mary’s University Public Relations (PR) & Business Club traveled to Minneapolis on Wednesday, Nov. 13 for a networking event and panel discussion featuring local public relations professionals.

The Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) hosted “PR with the Pros: An Evening Discussion about the Future of PR,” in the Cambria Gallery.

Allison Halvorson, a senior at SMU and the secretary of the PR & Business Club, was very impressed by the discussion. “The event consisted of many individuals who have worked in the PR industry for numerous years,” she said. “The members of the panel had personal stories about their careers in PR and ways to make yourself a valuable PR professional.”

According to the Public Relations Society of America, the Twin Cities and metro-area has one of the most impressive public relations industries in the nation. Some of the most prominent names in PR attended the panel discussion to give advice to young PR hopefuls. 

“The best advice I took from the event was to take risks,” said Halvorson. “One will never know change until they change what they do. I also learned that it is alright to fail, everyone does it. You just have to learn from your mistakes and hopefully not make them a second time.”

Halvorson was one of nine SMU students who attended the panel. She recommends that young PR students take the initiative to experience events like this one. 

“I would definitely recommend other PR majors or those possibly switching to PR to attend events similar to this one,” she said. “PR really is all about networking, and these events definitely provide that opportunity if students are willing to attend.”