By London Faust

On Tuesday, April 10, over 50 students from local universities attended PPRA’s annual “Careers 101: From College to Career” program at PECO. Ike Richman, founder of Ike Richman Communications and 2005 PPRA Hall of Fame Inductee, led the discussion among four panelists: Amber Burns of Visit Philly, Danielle Cohn of Comcast NBCUniversal and 2014 PPRA Hall of Fame Inductee, Doug Oliver of PECO, and Logan Yu of Vault Communications.

The panel spoke about the stresses of landing a job and how to leverage your career after graduation. Burns and Yu spoke about the importance of standing out and making yourself the obvious choice to employers when interviewing for a position. Once offered a job, Cohn emphasized being a strategic thinker and problem solver to defy expectations. Oliver told students to be enthusiastic about their work, be strong writers, and take advantage of mentors.“I loved being a part of the panel, because it is so important to give back and pour into the next generation of leaders,” said Burns. “Having the chance to network at events like Careers 101 got me to where I am today, and I’m overjoyed to be on the other side of it now.”

Students also had the opportunity to get their resume reviewed by industry professionals and get headshots taken by Philip Gabriel Photography. Gregg Feistman and Jaime Martorana promoted the mentorship program by explaining to students the importance of facilitating these relationships. The event concluded with students networking with the panelists and other PPRA members.

“This was my third time attending a Careers 101 panel, and each time I’ve left with new insight on our profession,” said Ryan Wall, a senior at La Salle University. “Last night was an excellent opportunity to hear about the varied public relations experiences in Philadelphia while speaking with professionals from different sectors. As a senior, it was also nice to help underclassmen network for the first time and introduce them to fellow public relations students across the region. As an emerging professional, the event definitely has made a huge impact in launching my career.”

The event was sponsored by Temple University’s Klein of Media and Communication, Philip Gabriel Photography, and PECO. A special thanks to the planning committee: Christina Clark, London Faust, Alyssa Guckin, Megan Lello, Samantha Retamar, Rosemary Rys, Nina Scimenes, and Kellsey Turner.