As a public relations major, the work I’ve produced throughout my academic career has helped me sharpen my skills in strategic communication, brand storytelling, and media relations. Although the materials in my portfolio are fictional and professors provided me with prompts, they were crafted with my ideas, professional intent, and grounded in real-world standards. With that being said, enjoy!
Above is my public relations senior project completed at Franklin College during my undergrad, about Franklin College's Football Program recent seasons of underperformance and missed opportunities for recruitment, fans, and community engagement. Coach Mike Leonard's return presents a timely opportunity to rebuild the football program’s reputation and reconnect the excitement with incoming recruits, alumni, the local community, and fans. I created a campaign that will display to the public what the rebuilding stages look like.
As a public relations major, my academic journey has been shaped by a deepening understanding of how strategic communication can influence perception, build trust, and tell powerful stories. One standout example of this growth is the press release I wrote for the film "Air," a fictional but professionally crafted release that demonstrates my ability to write with clarity, purpose, and precision. This work is a reflection of both my technical skillset and my creative intuition, and it deserves a place in my senior portfolio.
The press release was created to feel authentic and industry-ready. I approached it with the mindset of a real-world PR professional, thinking critically about audience, tone, and format. The film "Air," centered on the Nike and Michael Jordan partnership, provided the perfect opportunity to blend business, sports, and pop culture into a cohesive and compelling media announcement. I emphasized not just the what and when, but to why does this film matters, why audiences should care, and why it’s a defining project for the production company behind it.
I crafted this piece in my public relations writing class. I was given a prompt and created my own story. I’ve learned from the writing class to write a clean, engaging headline, structure quotes, and highlight key selling points. I made intentional choices about which details to include, how to build momentum in the body text, and how to maintain a professional and enthusiastic tone. The result is a polished press release, in my opinion, that could realistically be distributed by a studio or PR firm.
This project encapsulates my evolution as a communicator. It showcases my ability to think like a publicist, write like a journalist, and connect like a storyteller. Including it in my portfolio affirms not only my growth in the field but also my readiness to contribute meaningfully in any professional PR setting.
As a public relations major, I’ve come to appreciate how even a brief, structured document like a media advisory can serve as a powerful tool in building connections between an organization and the public. My media advisory for The Cheesecake Factory’s new Bloomington location represents a key moment in my development as a student and as a future PR professional. This piece illustrates my understanding of how to craft concise, informative content that delivers clear value to both the media and the broader community.
At first glance, a media advisory might seem like a straightforward assignment, but this project challenged me to think critically about what information is essential and how it should be presented. The goal was to invite press coverage and provide journalists with exactly what they need, the who, what, when, where, and why. I had to strike a balance between professionalism and promotional appeal, ensuring the tone was appropriate for a corporate brand while also being engaging and newsworthy for local news.
My thought process was centered around clarity and accessibility. I chose a clean, readable structure, used formal but friendly language, and made sure every element from the headline to the contact information followed industry standards. Highlighting key figures like CEO David Overton and veteran employee Jill Durant added legitimacy and a human touch to the event, showing my understanding of how to frame a corporate announcement in a way that feels both important and personal.
Including this media advisory in my portfolio showcases a different side of PR writing and my ability to produce real-world, actionable PR content. It’s a piece that reflects my growth in understanding media relations, event promotion, and professional writing. It also affirms that I am capable of producing work that meets the expectations of potential PR companies and the public.
As a Public Relations major at Franklin College, this fictional media brief represents a big step in my growth not just as a student, but as someone preparing to enter the professional world of PR. When I created this brief for a mock interview with TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, I treated it like a real-world scenario. I established the five W which are what, who, where, when, and why. I imagined what it would be like to manage communication for a high-profile person and company in the middle of a national controversy. It challenged me to think strategically, clearly, and fast, just like I’d have to in a real PR job.
Throughout my time at Franklin, I’ve learned a lot about how to balance messaging, tailor communication to different audiences, and work under pressure. This brief pushed me to put all of that into practice. I had to consider the journalist’s background, the stakes of the interview, and how TikTok could protect and explain its reputation during a critical moment. It wasn’t just about writing something that sounded good, it was about crafting a piece that made sense for the CEO, company, the media, and the public.
What I’m proud of most is how realistic the brief feels. I wanted it to reflect not only a solid understanding of media relations, but also the thought process behind advanced communication. It shows that I can think like a PR pro, gaining insight from the journalist(My professor) for potential questions, highlighting key talking points, and keeping the company’s voice consistent under pressure.
I included this brief in my senior portfolio because it shows how far I’ve come. It shows that I understand the importance of narrative control, timely messaging, and relationship building with the press. It’s also proof that I can handle complex messaging and think on my feet. Most importantly, it shows that I care about the stories being told and the people telling them.
