Journalism Senior Katie Kalass always loved to write. Kalass dreamed of being published in a big city newspaper and covering hard hitting news. This all changed for Kalass when she was exposed to public relations.
Kalass found her true calling in PR because it was a perfect blend of her passions. Not only did it allow her to write, but it gave her the opportunity to be creative in finding new ways to reach the press. To get more exposure to PR, Kalass applied to Martin Waymire for her senior year internship. After a vigorous application process, Kalass received an offer.
The major function that Kalass takes part in at Martin Waymire is media relations. She drafts advisories and releases as well as performs pitch calls to get the media to attend press conferences for clients. This experience has allowed Kalass to play an integral role in her clients’ successes, far beyond the expectations of most interns.
One of Kalass’s favorite aspects of Martin Waymire is that each day on the job is different. Kalass works on a vast array of projects such as social media management, graphic design and writing.
Within her first month of exposure to political PR, Kalass was involved in a team that was serving a political client. This allowed her to the see process of how a proposal appeared on the ballot from start to finish. She also tracked media coverage for the political client throughout the election in the fall.
When asked what advice she has for students in the public relations field, Kalass explained: “The industry is changing and it’s changing really fast. So, my best piece of advice would be to always be eager to learn new things. I think even in the span of one year, what I’m doing and how I’m doing it has changed so much. At work I learn every day because news distribution is changing so rapidly.”
Kalass has worked hard to be able to say that she has multiple public relations graduate programs to choose from. She is eager to continue her education and expand her skillset for her future career in public relations.