Meet our Vrge intern, Emily Benjamin, a fourth-year Public Relations student at Syracuse University. Since last summer, Emily has been working with our team to help pitch reporters, draft social content, build media lists, conduct research for our clients, and more.
In this Q&A, Emily shares a little more about her journey into PR and strategic communications.
Q: What has been the biggest takeaway so far during your internship with Vrge?
A: After interning at Vrge for the last six months, I have grown both personally and professionally. This firm has given me an immeasurable amount of valuable mentorship as well as the opportunity to apply industry knowledge and practical skills in a real-world setting.
Q: As a Public Relations major at Syracuse, what are some of the most interesting things you’ve learned in your classes about PR and communications?
A: The S.I. Newhouse School has greatly prepared me for my early career in strategic communications. Some of my favorite classes I have taken are Communications Law for Journalists, PR Cases & Campaigns, Content Optimization for PR Writing, and Real News, Fake News: Media Literacy. These classes have gone beyond the basic foundations of public relations knowledge and have provided insight into multimedia production, responsible messaging, and legal considerations within the field. My education has helped me build a mindset of continuous learning to stay updated on industry trends, tools, and technologies.
Q: At Syracuse, you worked as an Associate at Hill Communications, Syracuse’s student-led PR agency. How did your experience at Hill Communications prepare you for your work at Vrge?
A: Hill Communications was a great introductory experience into agency life. Here, I learned how to craft press releases, client-facing deliverables, media lists, social media content and so much more. But, most importantly, I learned how to be an effective team member and got to navigate working on multiple accounts with different leadership styles.
Q: What’s the most interesting project you’ve gotten to work on during your time with Vrge?
A: My favorite project that I get to collaborate on is a bi-weekly newsletter for one of our clients. I get to finetune my writing skills by practicing concise and impactful news updates to grab the attention of the reader. In addition, I have gotten a lot out of these newsletters because it allows me to stay updated on the current news landscape for criminal justice and police equity, a social issue that I am continuously learning more about. Keeping informed on biases and procedures that disproportionately impact certain communities, allows me to become more aware of systemic inequities occurring throughout our country.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
A: In five years, I hope to be working at an agency in New York City. As I am heading towards my graduation from Syracuse University, I am looking forward to applying the knowledge I have learned from my four years and the hands-on skills I have developed here at Vrge in my future career. While the Big Apple can be a little daunting for entry-level professionals, the advice and guidance I have gained at Vrge helps make the transition time a bit easier.
