Before joining BU COM, I asked a then PR student about one of the best opportunities that BU offers to COM students. The NYC PR Agency tour was their immediate answer.
The NYC PR agency tour is an annual trip where a select few COM students from the undergraduate and graduate cohort get the golden ticket to visit some of the best and most renowned PR agencies in New York City. This year, I was one of the 12 candidates. Here are seven reasons why you should mark your calendar in advance for this tour:
- It’s NYC
Close your eyes and imagine the NYC skyline. Looks so good, right? One of the agencies we visited, Sloan & Company, recently moved their offices to the 63rd floor of One World Trade Center. Before beginning their office tour, we got to go up to the viewing floor of One WTC. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty, we got an almost 360 degree view of the city that never sleeps.
We were asked to reach the city at least one day before the tour began and so most of us took advantage of that and spent the weekend and after-hours of the tour exploring the city.
- Some of the best PR agencies in the field
We visited some of the top agencies of the PR world, such as Weber Shandwick, Fleishman Hillard, BCW, Edelman, and more. This year we were also invited for an exclusive private tour of NBC Studios, which was my favorite part of the tour. We got to see the studios where SNL, The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Seth Meyers Show are filmed. It was amazing!
- You get a stipend
BU recognizes that a trip to NYC might be expensive for some students. To support this, we have a generous donor who makes this trip possible for us.
A paid trip to explore some of the best agencies in the business to the dream city?! Yes, please!
- Once-in-a-lifetime experience
I never imagined that I would get the opportunity to visit some of the most famous buildings in the financial district of New York, having conversations with some of the most esteemed professionals in the field of PR and admiring their genius. Looking back, it truly feels like a dream come true.
- Networking and making connections
At the end of the tour, BU organized a networking event which was attended by more than 50 alums and PR professionals working in various areas of PR in NYC. It was an open field for us to network and make connections with them in an informal environment. During the event, which lasted for two hours, I spoke to nearly 10 people, and they were more than happy to network with me and offer connections for internship and job opportunities. Like I said, once-in-a-lifetime chance!
- Opportunity to pitch yourself in person
I am not exaggerating –– I have applied to nearly 100 agencies and companies in the past two months in an effort to secure a summer internship. How many interviews have I secured up until now? Two. I am so sure that if I am just given an opportunity, I could convince any interviewer that I am much more than my resume and to give me the internship. But, we do not live in a perfect world.
However, on the trip, I was granted the chance to pitch myself to a vice president of a healthcare PR agency, the president of a strategic communications firm, the founder of an HR, an internal communications and tech PR agency and many more distinguished industry leaders. From this trip, I secured two coffee chats, gained one career coach/mentor and two employee referrals.
In my opinion, if you are passionate about a career in PR but are still finding your way in the field and exploring areas to venture into, the NYC agency tour would be your best bet for gaining clarity and perspective of the direction in which you want your career to proceed. If nothing else, I promise you, this experience is bound to ignite the fire to succeed and excel in you.
Leave a Reply