Opening Credits...

Hey All!

This is my first blog and it is meant to open a view into my life regarding what I am doing and pursuing.  

I am currently a junior, public relations major at the University of Florida.  I am falling in love with the art, skills and strategies of Public Relations.  I am looking to go to LA this summer for an internship and am leaning toward the agency life.

I have worked and served in positions at the following companies and organizations:

PRSSA - UF Chapter

Alpha PRoductions - Student-Run Public Relations Firm

UF Women's Water Polo

The Rough Draft - A local, Gainesville newspaper

 Broward Health 

I have been a member of PRSSA since the Fall of 2007.  PRSSA has opened countless opportunities for me.  In October of 2007, I travelled to Philadelphia to participate at the PRSSA National Conference.  I met numerous professionals but the highlight of my weekend was when I met Barri Rafferty, senior partner and director at Ketchum, New York.  This conference opened my eyes to the variety of opportunities in Public Relations.  

During the 2007-2008 school year, I served as the Director of Fundraising.  My 9-member team and I planned and executed two major events.  The first was a fundraiser benefitting Toys for Tots, that took place in mid-December of 2007.  PRSSA teamed up with the Association of Building Construction Club at a local club to help raise money and toys for the non-profit organization.  We raised over $500 and collected more than 300 toys.  The second event was a professional/student social in April of 2008.  As the fundraising committee, we conducted a silent auction.  We collected over 30 items for the event, ranging from gift cards to local restaraunts and businesses, to exotic orchids.

In December of 2007, I began to look for internships for the Spring semester.  I received an email about a new publication starting in Gainesville called The Rough Draft.  I was hired as the Director of Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising and Distribution.  I was in charge of the Advertising and Distribution teams.  The paper was distributed weekly and started with a 4,000 circulation rate.  Because it was a brand-new paper, I was tasked to create awareness around campus.  I also needed to hire a distribution team and create a distribution map.  I created relationships with more than 45 businesses throughout Gainesville.  I hired 3 distribution team members and created 3 paper routes.  I then began to take an advertising role.  I landed 5 advertisers.  And the advertising team, consisting of 3 people, landed over 15 advertisers within the first semester.  While working with the paper, I conducted two interviews.  One with the band Mae, a mainstream band hailing from Virginia, and another interview with DJ Migg_L, an acclaimed Gainesville DJ.  In January 2009, after working with Rough Draft for a year, I decided to stop working for them to pursue more positions with PRSSA.  By the end of my internship, the paper had a circulation rate of 10,000, more than double the amount we had originally started with.  This internship taught me how to create and maintain relationships with businesses and professionals.  I was given the opportunity to be personal, yet professional.  I learned the art of advertising and selling.  I enhanced my speaking skills and became comfortable talking in a professional setting.  This was the first Public Relations opportunity where I was given the ability to work with money.  I had to hire and pay my teams and also collect money from advertisers.  The Rough Draft gave me a year of experience that I could never learn in school.

My first summer internship took place during the summer of 2008.  I was accepted as 1 of the 24 interns hired at Broward Health, a South Florida Health System.  I was hired as the only intern in the corporate communications department.  I worked under Sara Howley, VP of Corporate Communications and Marketing.  During my 10-week program, I conducted interviews and wrote stories for the employee newsletter.  At the beginning of my internship, I was given the task to start a campaign for a program the organization had bought for their patients and employees named CarePages.  CarePages is a Web site where families can create a "page" for a sick family member.  On the "page", posts can be made on medical updates to keep everyone informed.  Also pictures can be posted and virtual presents can be given.  As a team, we made post-card size pamphlets to place in all four major hospitals and 40 medical facilities.  I wrote an article for the STAR, the employee newsletter, regarding the launch of the program on the main Web site.  Sara always had me come to major corporate meetings that included the CEO of the organization and the individual CEO's of each hospital.  I loved the corporate life! I enjoyed the fast-pace, always-changing days in the office.  I learned to juggle multiple projects, while running into meetings.  The MOST important thing I learned from my internship was team work.  Each member of the team had specific jobs but was not afraid or selfish to ask others for help.  The team members taught me loyalty and trust.  

During the 2008-2009 school year, I decided to become even more involved with PRSSA and Alpha PRoductions.  I was selected as the Director of Networking Committee.  I work under the National Liason and help run a 5-member team.  We put together workshops for our chapter.  Serving as director, opened opportunities to meet professionals across America.  One of my favorite speakers was Lisa Brock.  She is a phenomenal professional from Tampa.  She spoke on respect and the necessary drive to be a great Public Relations professional.  I also serve as a Member of the Bateman Committee.  We helped the Bateman team conduct primary and secondary research.  During their campaign, we went to the local high schools and helped give out campaign materials to the students.  As a committee, we gave our opinions on certain ideas.  This was another great experience to work with a team.  We had specific target dates and deadlines and we had to work as a team to get tasks done on time.

I also currently serve as the Associate Director on the Marce account for Alpha PRoductions.  Marce is a singer/songwriter from Gainesville.  We are currently in the process of planning a community and student event at the end of April.  At the community event, Pegeen Hanrahan, the mayor of Gainesville, will serve as the keynote speaker.  Both events will help support Peaceful Paths, a non-profit organization against domestic violence.  Marce will be the MC for both events and will also premiere the music video for her song "Jenny".

I was elected Vice President of the Women's Water Polo Team for the 2008-2009 season.  Being an officer has given me the opportunity to exercise the strategies I have learned from my Public Relations classes.  Fundraising is a huge part of our team success.  During the Fall of 2008, we sent out support letters to every team-members family.  We raised over $1200.  We are currently in the process of creating a newsletter to team-members families to give them team updates and pictures.  We as an executive board, have brainstormed ideas and come up with another fundraiser, a scavenger hunt.  In early April, the team will host a "Halloween in April" Scavenger Hunt.  Over twenty teams will compete.  As a Public Relations student, I have learned to market the event to students through flyers on Facebook and in person.  Social media sites will prove to be a huge asset to our event.  Another charge I have been given is getting prizes.  My fundraising background has helped me to create relationships with local businesses and restaurants.  Some of the prizes so far include, salon gift certificates and blockbuster gift cards.  We are looking to put together a grand prize package, including Disney Park tickets and hot-air balloon rides.

Throughout my short experience in the Public Relations field, I have been stretched in many ways.  I have learned to juggle multiple positions and projects, at the same time as being a full-time student.  

Currently I am finishing up this school year, hoping to land an internship in LA and doing some freelance work on the side.  

Thank you SO much for reading up on me and I look forward to keeping everyone updated on my future successes.  

If you are interested in talking with me, feel free to email me at victoriaisraels@gmail.com

--- Victoria