By Hannah Valencia
1910 PR is not like most classes you take in college. In most of your classes, you listen, you memorize, and you do as you are told. In 1910 PR, you still listen, but you also speak. The learning experience of 1910 PR is similar to that of an internship or job as you are an integral part of your experience. We are not a class, but a team working towards the same goal of providing PR services for clients to the best of our abilities.
Jumping In
What prompted me to join the firm was its hands-on experience in the public relations field, as I was seeking more involvement in the industry. When Professor Bruce told me about the opportunity to be a part of 1910 PR, I decided to go for it. I did not know what to expect, and I found out on the first day that there were only a few students in the firm (five, counting me).
When it came time to apply for leadership positions, I figured I might as well apply since over 50% of us would be on the three-person leadership team and not many people seemed interested. Before even knowing what exactly I was doing as a member of the firm, let alone as a member of the leadership team, I became one of the assistant directors.
Learn As You Go
When I joined 1910 PR, I did not know a lot about public relations and didn’t have experience being a part of a PR firm. I expected that someone would tell me what to do starting on my first day, but that is not how things went.
Instead of receiving direct instructions, I learned as I went. Learning in this way felt strange to me at first because it was completely counter to my prior educational experience.
However, it was exactly the type of learning that I have experienced in every job I have had. Whenever I started a new job, I’d show up, get some short instruction, and then just learn as I go. I prefer to learn this way, as I learn best by actually doing things instead of just being told how to do them.
Finding Value in Responsibility
Whenever you have more freedom in your learning experience, you are able to grow more rather than remaining stagnate. You always have the choice to learn just enough to “get by.” However, you also have the choice to create your own experience, to help both yourself and others in the learning process. In 1910 PR, we have the opportunity to voice our opinions on projects, to work on tasks that interest us, and, most importantly, to learn.
Through volunteering to lead different tasks and projects, I learned many skills that I would not have had I not decided to get involved. It always seems easier to let other people take the lead, but taking on responsibility will increase your knowledge and confidence. I am glad I chose a valuable experience over an “easy” one.