As if being a PR student here at ISU isn’t enough work, Michelle Ketcham is also the ISU PRSSA president. She has had many internships and is extremely involved here at school. She has a lot of advice to offer so read up, ladies!
HC: Michelle, what are you involved in here at ISU?
Ketcham: First off, I am a senior public relations major. I knew that I wanted to be in public relations 11 years ago after watching the Bruce Willis movie, “The Kid.” I was inspired by Bruce Willis’ character’s advice to the aspiring news anchor. I thought, if I can be that knowledgeable and help people be seen the way they desire, than I could really impact someone’s life. Since then I have learned that there is so much more to public relations and with each new discovery I am more and more confident in my career choice. At ISU, I was a teaching assistant for Tom Lamonica’s Introduction to Public Relations (COM 178) course. Currently, I intern with the school of communication promotions and development team (SOC PD) as an event coordinator. What this means is that I, along with a team of seven other interns, organize, promote and execute all events for the school of communication. Our biggest event is the annual COM Week which will be held from April 2 to April 5. During this week, we spotlight several different keynote speakers, panels and professional development opportunities within the school.
Last but not least, I am the president for the Public Relations Student Society of America, Illinois State University Chapter (ISU PRSSA). I have been a member of ISU PRSSA since fall 2009 and it is definitely an honor to hold such a prestigious position within the organization.
HC: What does your position of president of PRSSA entail?
Ketcham: I absolutely love my position as the president of ISU PRSSA. I serve as the chief student official and spokesman for the Chapter. I also manage a six-member executive board as well as the Chapter as a whole. Basically, I have played a role in one way or another regarding anything that comes from our Chapter.
HC: How has being the president (or just a member) of PRSSA benefitted you?
Ketcham: One of the reasons I love my position with ISU PRSSA is that I have the opportunity to be involved fully and entirely with all things within the Chapter. It’s definitely a great learning experience because I’m offered such a wide range of responsibilities. Personally, ISU PRSSA has helped me to become much more confident in my abilities. From being a member my first year, to director my second and now the Chapter president, I have learned so much! I am much more comfortable with who I am and who I want to be and I really attribute this to my experience with ISU PRSSA. The Chapter has opened a lot of doors for me and has given me that extra boost that I need to motivate myself. It has helped me to make things happen as opposed to waiting for things to happen. Most of all, ISU PRSSA has given me such genuine and long-lasting friendships. I always try to make an effort to get to know all of our members and with each person I meet, I find a new friend. I have a smaller group of core friends and sure enough, we are all in ISU PRSSA. I have made such a connection with this organization and it will be very sad to leave this May.
HC: What would be your dream job after graduation?
Ketcham: I don’t have one specific job that I would like since I am always trying to keep open to all possibilities. That being said, I am definitely very interested in the entertainment industry. It was actually this spring’s PRSSA Regional Conference at DePaul University and reignited my love for entertainment PR. I am also very interested in the event planning, branding and promotions aspect of public relations. I would love to work at XA, The Experiential Agency. Ogilvy & Mather is another firm that I have been a big fan of for several years now. In the summer of 2011, I held a three-month internship in Beijing, China. I actually requested to work in Ogilvy’s Beijing offices but unfortunately the school was not able to work anything out. No worries though! We will be touring Ogilvy’s Chicago office this February through ISU PRSSA.
HC: So, what was your favorite internship this far?
Ketcham: I held a three-month internship last summer in Beijing, China. While I was there I worked with Universal Ideas, a business consulting organization. I did not know anything about the company going into it but from the moment I arrived, I learned so much! I worked directly with the vice president of UI, Ira Cohen. He really was a mentor to me and inspired me to think outside the box. My experience in Beijing really taught me that sometimes personal, life lessons outweigh any possible tactical experience you could have ever imagined.
HC: Do you have any advice for anyone seeking a PR degree?
Ketcham: My advice to students is to get involved. Look into organizations such as PRSSA, C.O.M. Club, WZND, etc. and see what works for you! Not only will you have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience but you will also meet so many fabulous people with the same interests and dreams as you. These people are essential to keeping us motived and inspired. Help one another out and form those connections! In addition, don’t be intimidated by internships. Seek out all possibilities and keep challenging yourself. Don’t worry yourself…sometimes it’s better to walk into a position as a blank slate! I will caution however not to overwhelm yourself. So many students get eager to jump right in and commit to more than they can handle. It is always better to select a few activities and give them your all than to select several and spread yourself too thin.