Grand Valley State University’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (GV PRSSA) hosted an agency tour on Friday, Sept. 27. The tour offered students an invaluable glimpse into the dynamic field of PR by providing real-world insights into the strategies that shape corporate and public communications.

Throughout the year, GV PRSSA coordinates multiple agency tours in various locations, including Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo and Chicago. These excursions are designed to give students a panoramic view of the PR landscape by visiting both in-house communications departments and PR agencies, thereby covering a wide spectrum of professional experiences.

The group’s September tour, held in Grand Rapids, involved visits to both the City of Grand Rapids’ Communications Department and the Van Andel Arena– two entities where public relations play a crucial role in operating on a day-to-day basis. For the GV PRSSA members, the visits were not just about observing; they were about understanding how theory translates into practice, and how strategic communication drives engagement in business and governance.

While at the City of Grand Rapids’ Communications Department, students met with Andrea Riley Mukavetz, the City’s community engagement manager, and JD Waldvogel, the strategic marketing communications specialist. Both speakers shared how their work intertwines with public policy and community outreach. They both emphasized the importance of tailoring messages and campaigns to effectively connect with Grand Rapids’ diverse population.

Mukavetz and Waldvogel underscored how their individual backgrounds and interests shape their approach to creating communication strategies, offering students a multifaceted view of public sector PR.

The tour continued at Van Andel Arena, a key event and entertainment venue in downtown Grand Rapids, where Hannah Flynn, a former PRSSA member from Northern Michigan University provided a comprehensive overview of her role as communications coordinator. Flynn elaborated on her responsibilities in content creation and brand management, explaining how she navigates the intricacies of storytelling to maintain the venue’s cohesive image and public appeal. 

Students were given a tour of the facilities, and Flynn discussed the unique challenges of working in an environment where each event brings a new audience, necessitating fresh content and strategic adaptability.

Junior Lauren Brasher serves as GV PRSSA’s vice president of professional development. Brasher, who played a role in planning the tour, emphasized the tour’s impact on students’ career outlooks. 

“Overall, it was an amazing learning experience for us all, Brasher said. “I think a lot of our members were opened up to the career possibilities that an advertising/public relations major can achieve. Tours like this expose members to the various career paths available and allow them to ask questions and network directly with professionals.”

These experiences are supplements to the classroom instruction that forms the bedrock of students’ education in public relations. While academic courses cover essential PR strategies, they often fall short of exposing students to the day-to-day realities and diverse opportunities within the field. The GV PRSSA agency tours serve to bridge this gap, enabling members to witness firsthand the breadth of PR work across different industries and professional settings.

The chapter’s next tour is set for October 18 in Lansing, with planned visits to Piper & Gold and Martin Waymire, two notable public relations agencies. 

GV PRSSA President Alexia Frazzitta, a GVSU senior, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming tour, emphasizing its potential to provide a deeper understanding of agency life, which often differs significantly from in-house PR roles.

“Our agency tours allow members to network with PR professionals and learn more about an industry they may be interested in pursuing,” Frazzitta said. “Students come prepared with questions and often ask for advice on how to advance their professional career journey.” 

The chapter’s dedication to providing practical experiences reflects its broader mission to prepare students for successful careers in the public relations and communications industries.

GV PRSSA, which was established in 1977, is part of the nationwide Public Relations Student Society of America, an organization that connects over 7,000 students and advisors across more than 300 chapters. Often recognized as the premier student organization in the PR field, PRSSA aims to advance the practice and profession of public relations by offering its members extensive opportunities for networking, professional development and education.

The chapter also supports GrandPR, its student-run integrated communications firm. GrandPR provides members with hands-on experience in managing client communications and developing PR campaigns.

For Brasher, whose specialty lies in writing and social media, GV PRSSA represents an opportunity to actively explore various facets of public relations and develop a clearer sense of the career she wishes to pursue.

“My dream job is to work somewhere that allows me to be constantly doing something new,” Brasher said, emphasizing the chapter’s role in helping her, and many others, discover their passion within the field.