My Journey Into the PR Industry: How I Became a Philly PR Girl
This Spring semester, I became an official Philly PR Girl. But just last Fall, I was confident I wanted to pursue a career in advertising, so what caused the change of heart? Let me take you back to where it all started and what this journey has taught me so far.
It’s important to note that I had minimal public relations experience before joining Philly PR Girl in January. In the Fall of 2022, I was interested in learning about and gaining experience in PR, so I became a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America and PRowl, Temple’s student-led PR firm. That Fall semester, I learned how to draft a press release and create a social media calendar, and I also gained experience writing blog posts (which is coming in handy right about now). Joining PRowl was the best thing I could have done for myself because it redirected me toward a career path better suited for me. Although I enjoyed advertising, I felt like I was missing that initial spark–but I found that spark with PR. By November, I realized my interest in PR had bloomed into a passion.
Fast forward to today, and I’m a Public Relations Intern at Philly PR Girl (PPRG). PPRG is a boutique public relations firm in Philadelphia for event planning, social media management, marketing, and promotions. I work alongside the owner and founder, Kate Marlys, and her team. In my role, I am responsible for assisting Colleen Dunn in writing press releases, pitching to reporters and news stations, sending out media alerts, and completing other side projects for her clients. Some of the clients that we represent are City Winery, City Experiences, Kutest Kids Parents As Teachers, and The Wellness Collective.
My time at Philly PR Girl has been everything and more than I imagined. One thing I’ve learned from interning at PPRG is that as a public relations person, it’s important to know who you are pitching. That means consistently researching and staying updated with local news reporters, writers, radio personalities, etc. One thing I’ve enjoyed at PPRG is getting to know all of the wonderful ladies that make up the firm. They have been instrumental in the growth of my professional PR career, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of women to collaborate with!
I’m glad that Kate Marlys welcomed me to the team and allowed me to showcase my skills and build more experience in the PR industry, even though I had little PR experience. A piece of advice for others is never to be afraid to step out of your comfort zone in pursuit of something better! Today, I aim to continue building professional public relations experience at PPRG and eventually land a job at a PR firm in New York! But as we say at PPRG, “Once a Philly PR Girl, Always a Philly PR Girl!”
I love the community that Philly PR Girl seems to create and how much you benefitted from it! I think the community in an internship, beyond creating connections in the professional world, is the best way to build confidence in what you are doing. I also had no idea I would be doing PR, as a production style person I never expected to fall in love with running different accounts on social media and creating calendars for future months, but I did. Because of that I completely resonated with your explanation of missing a spark in advertising, while I love the production side and found a spark there, combining the two created the true spark I needed, mixing production and PR. I also agree that knowing your clients is crucial when making a pitch and you explained it in the most succinct and perfect possible way to describe the need. The way you described Philly PR Girl makes it sound like such a beneficial place for so many interns in all different types of ways! Congratulations!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying your internship, Stephany! I transferred from the advertising world to the public relations world this semester too, and I’ve found it very fulfilling. Also, I have to say, that I fully agree with your point on staying up to date on news if you want to pitch properly! I’ve found that reporters are more likely to respond if you connect the story with something relevant in the news. One question for you. Where do you enjoy consuming news the most? I’ve been loving the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Washington Post, but I’m always looking to expand my publications. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Otherwise, great work on this post. 🙂
Hello Stephany! I originally started off as a marketing major, but decided that it wasn’t for me. I did something very similar, and joined Temple’s ad club to gain a better understanding about the advertising industry. I have been an advertising major for three years now and am so much happier with what I do. I feel passionate about the work that I do and I am so glad you found that passion at Philly PR Girl. Stepping out of your comfort zone is hard but is so rewarding once you actually enjoy what you are doing. I think having a strong team allows us interns to have a way better experience at our jobs and I am so glad that you look up to the women you work with. I currently work for The Mann Center, and our marketing team has welcomed me with open arms. I am familiar with Philly PR Girl and am curious to know how your tasks look similar or different to mine. Congrats!