Gemma Puglisi is an assistant professor in the School of Communication. She is the faculty adviser for the student organization Public Relations Student Society of America and teaches a variety of public relations courses within SOC. Her Campus AU sat down with Gemma, a beloved professor and mentor, for a chat to learn more about her!
You are currently an assistant professor in the School of Communication. Prior to teaching, what positions have you held?
I have a different kind of career history. I started in the entertainment industry and worked for a talent manager that represented Jason Alexander and discovered Halle Berry. I’ve worked in news for a long time at NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. I’ve also worked at Edelman Public Relations as the vice president and manager of media at Edelman PR and have experience in the financial sector as a media relations manager for the Nasdaq stock market.
It’s funny to think of where your career takes you. I’ve worked for a lot of different sectors and they’ve all kind of helped me in terms of what I do now as an educator. I’ve learned so much from these experiences and I’m grateful for them because it’s helped me grow and understand about people, different fields, how they work and how people communicate. It’s gotten me where I am today.
What are some of the most rewarding things about teaching at American University?
Students keep you motivated and they are so passionate. They make you, as a person, appreciate what you do as they’re so grateful for you. Not a week goes by where I won’t hear from a former student that tells me what they’re doing. It’s so rewarding to see that because they don’t need the grade anymore, they just want to tell you what you’re doing. All of us faculty members really do shape the lives of students once they leave here because we kind of set them out in the world, and we hope that they’ll take what we’ve given them and grow. I think it’s very rewarding for all of us to hear what all of you do when you leave and the small impact that maybe we’ve had on your lives.
What are some of the things you are looking forward to this school year?
I’m looking forward to a lot of things. I’m the PRSSA faculty advisor and I am really honored to have this position because I see some extraordinary students organizing some fantastic activities. I’m looking forward to classes and the work that students will do. I’m also looking forward to spending time with my colleagues, both in and out of SOC. I’m on the University Senate and I’m excited to be working with my colleagues.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I don’t even know what spare time is! I’m very passionate about issues and working to help them. One of my current projects is working to help get Troy Anthony Davis off of death row in Georgia. I’m working on the production of Dead Man Walking here on campus, which will be performing in September and October, and I’m very proud of that. I also like to spend time with my family and see shows at the Kennedy Center.