Florida State University’s Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) went to Atlanta for their semesterly networking trip, exposing their members to real-world professionals and environments with opportunities to make valuable connections.

Vice President Alyssa Bynum told the College of Communication and Information (CCI) that many of their members have “landed internships, jobs, or met someone who went on to become their mentor in the industry on these trips.” During this trip, they visited Jackson Spalding, an award-winning public relations and marketing agency, where they met with an FSU FPRA alumna, Caroline Fassl. 

President Elle Schutte said that one of her favorite parts of the trip was visiting “Broadway in Atlanta at the Fox Theater, where we gained valuable insight on in-house public relations.” They visited small, medium, and large firms that gave their members a glimpse into the varying opportunities for them.

When asked why they chose Atlanta for their networking trip, Bynum said, “Many successful individuals in the Atlanta PR industry are proud FSU alumni, which created a unique opportunity for our members to connect, learn, and gain insights from those who once walked in our shoes.” Atlanta is also a hub for communications professionals, aligning with many members’ career aspirations.

Orchestrating this trip demanded many important skills from these student leaders. Bynum shared, “Coordinating schedules, handling logistics, and ensuring everything went smoothly demanded organizational skills that I’ve been able to refine through the courses and projects I have handled at FSU.”

FSU’s FPRA chapter looks forward to future networking trips and continues to connect its students at their biweekly meetings. Bynum told CCI they value the connections made during this trip and recognize the “long-lasting impact these experiences can have on our students’ professional journeys.”