PENN STATE PRSSA

SPRING 2020

NEWSLETTER

This Edition: 

executive board spotlight / 2

Incoming President Spotlight / 3
alumni spotlights / 4-5
professor Spotlight / 6
COMMITTEE RECAPS / 7-9
Chapter Achievements / 10

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EXECUTIVE BOARD SPOTLIGHT

Corinne Findlay, 2019-2020 President

BY Megan Lantz
Corinne Findlay is a graduating senior earning a B.A. in public relations this
Spring, with minors in digital media trends and analytics, and global and
international studies.

Corinne has been an integral member of PRSSA since the beginning of her sophomore year, first as a general
member of the Strategic Planning Committee, then as a Strategic Planning Committee Chair, and concluding her
PRSSA career by serving as the Chapter President for the 2019-2020 academic year. “I knew that the career
resources, networking, and professional development PRSSA had to offer were unmatched, and I had to take
advantage of it,” Corinne said.

Throughout her tenure as President, Corinne has accomplished so much for the organization. “Without question, I
am most proud of the significant membership increase the leadership team was able to accomplish this year,” she
said. “A year ago, the former VP, Kristina Hahn, and I decided to implement the Director of Recruitment role which
benefited our organization tremendously. Our Chapter increased our membership total by 405% - a jaw-dropping
number. I have to say, this is one of the proudest accomplishments of my college career.”

As a result of Corinne’s efforts with membership recruitment and retention, the Chapter received Pacesetter Chapter
Recognition by the PRSSA National Committee for November of 2019 to recognize the Chapter’s success in
membership involvement. Corinne also played a major part in the planning of a university-wide lecture series
featuring IBM’s Brandi Boatner, established a relationship with the Central PA PRSA Chapter, served as a team
leader for the Bateman Case Study Competition, and navigated the curveball that COVID-19 threw at the
organization through virtual PRSSA meetings.

Along with the previously mentioned accomplishments, Corinne also represented Penn State PRSSA at the 2019
PRSSA International Conference. “My favorite PRSSA memory is definitely traveling to San Diego, California in
October 2019 to represent Penn State at the PRSSA International Conference,” she said. “We are constantly
surrounded by the local resources and routines that this organization provides, but PRSSAIC really opens your eyes
to the countless opportunities this professional organization has to offer on a national level.”

Looking back on her time as President, Corinne highlights being a role model as the most enjoyable part of the job.
“The joy I feel when helping others in their professional careers and collegiate experiences is deep-rooted in my
passion for working with those younger than me,” she said. Being the oldest of four in her family, Corinne has held
herself to the constant responsibility of being an example for her siblings. For Corinne, having the ability to continue
serving as a mentor within the industry is deeply rewarding.

Corinne contributes her ability to confidently enter the professional world to PRSSA. Whether it be effectively
networking, building her personal brand, planning events, or maintaining key relationships, Corinne has prepared a
competitive skillset from her experience in the organization. “If I have one piece of advice for other PRSSA
members, it is to take advantage of every single opportunity that PRSSA gives you, no matter how big or small. It
will most definitely pay off down the road,” Corinne shared.

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INCOMING PRESIDENT SPOTLIGHT

Jarod Kutz, 2020-2021 President

by Tao Chen
Jarod Kutz is a junior majoring in public relations and will be taking on
the role of President throughout his senior year at Penn State. He will begin
the position as an experienced leader and will hold this role throughout the
2020-2021 academic year. He has been an active PRSSA member since he
joined the organization, both as a general member and as a dedicated Strategic
Planning Chair throughout the Spring 2020 semester.

Jarod has always been passionate about participating in this foremost organization for students interested in
public relations and communications.

“I was inspired to join PRSSA because I’ve networked with current and former PRSSA members and I was
intrigued by their involvement and accomplishments,” Jarod said. “I wanted to do these types of things for myself
and I knew the benefits of PRSSA are everlasting.”

Jarod planned to be more involved in PRSSA as soon as he joined the Chapter. He believes that obtaining the
Strategic Planning Chair position was a necessary step for him to become a leader in the organization. He is
thankful for meeting new members and providing the younger members with necessary information as they
started their journeys within the organization and with Penn State.

“My internships and leadership experiences have enhanced my professional development because I understand
what it takes to produce quality work,” Jarod said. “I plan to do my absolute best moving forward with PRSSA and
I’m passionate about the importance of working together.”

Jarod was in charge of facilitating weekly meetings for the freshmen and sophomore PRSSA members within his
role as the Strategic Planning Chair. Members learned about the basics of the organization, and how they could
take advantage of what PRSSA has to offer them as they begin their involvement in the organization. “I am
grateful that my first leadership position was the Strategic Planning Chair because I got to learn more about what
it takes to lead a group and I got to make solid relationships with the younger members of the organization,”
Jarod said.

Jarod, as well as the incoming Vice President, Ellie Stewart, are introducing a new chair position to the
organization: Diversity & Inclusion Chair. Jarod knows deeply the importance and benefits of having a diverse
team in the public relations industry. He is excited about the possibilities of this new position and what the
executive board and members can all accomplish next year.

Jarod has many additional expectations for the Chapter’s future. He expects the members of the Chapter to
enhance their involvement moving into the next academic year. Jarod encourages them to get as much out of
their experience as possible, for he believes the opportunities are endless when one is exposed to an
organization as amazing as this one.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Meet notable alumni of the Bellisario College of Communications
Abby Maxwell, Senior Account Executive at M Booth
by Maggie ward
Abby graduated from Penn State in December of 2015 with a degree
in public relations and a minor in psychology. She was an active member
of Penn State’s PRSSA Chapter, serving as the Communications and
Digital Strategy Chair throughout her junior year and the Director of
Public Relations throughout her senior year.

Additionally, Abby was on a Rules and Regulations THON committee and also involved in PRSSA’s
THON efforts. She also studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic throughout Spring 2015.

Abby is thankful for the connections that Penn State PRSSA has given her. She said it was at a
national PRSSA conference where she was able to network and as a result, land her first job in the
industry.

Specifically, Abby loves the spontaneity and the non-routine nature that working in the PR industry
brings. “I love that I never know exactly what my days are going to look like,” she said. "It’s certainly
stressful at times, but it’s always exciting, and I’m constantly learning.”

Thus far in her career, Abby has worked with big-name brands like Pepsi-Co’s Bubly, Nutella, Amazon,
L’Oréal Paris, Rao’s Homemade, and Noosa Yoghurt. Currently, she’s a Senior Account Executive at M
Booth, a communications agency known for their culture-first approach to creative work.

“My favorite parts of my job are probably that I love the brands I work on and the culture at M Booth,”
Abby said. “Everyone really looks out for each other and wants to see each other succeed, which I think
is really special.”

Abby advises today’s members of PRSSA to start networking now and recognize that it’s important to
make connections within the PR industry. Keeping in contact with journalism professionals and
developing media relations now will be helpful down the road to those entering PR jobs.

She also emphasizes that internships are a key to success and that Bob Martin, Assistant Dean for
Internships and Career Placement at Penn State, should be “your best friend” when job searching.

“Do everything within your means to get internship experience in a major city where you’d eventually
like to end up,” Abby said. “Resumes always stand out to me when the candidate has worked in New
York before, because the agency culture here is very fast-paced, and it shows that they’ve experienced
that and will be able to jump right in.”

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Meet notable alumni of the Bellisario College of Communications

Gwyneth Mulliken, Associate, Consumer Brand at Golin

by Abby Johnson
Gwyneth Mulliken graduated from Penn State in 2019 with a degree
in public relations, advertising, and applied communication. She was
an active member of Penn State's PRSSA Chapter, as a former member
of the Digital Events and Strategic Communications Committees.
Additionally, Gwyneth was an Account Executive for CommRadio and a
part of the events division of VALLEY Magazine.

Gwyneth is grateful PRSSA allowed her to network with individuals in the industry throughout college,
which helped her form invaluable connections that have served her well in her life post-graduation. One
of her favorite aspects of PR is that it combines creative elements with strategy, which she has found to
be the best of both worlds.

"The most impactful project I've worked on so far is the L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth program, which
is a year-long charitable initiative to support and empower women leaders who have founded and
developed nonprofits to support their local communities,” she said. “It was one of those 'wow' moments
in my career when I was in the same room as Helen Mirren, Viola Davis, and Camila Cabello."

Upon graduating in May of 2019, Gwyneth accepted a position as a Graduate Consumer Brand Intern
at Golin. She has since become a full-time Associate for Golin's consumer team. Day to day, Gwyneth
works on the development and management of campaigns and client projects, while flagging
opportunities for engagement to keep clients ahead or in line with relevant news and media
conversations.

"My favorite part about working at Golin is the people I've met. I've learned so much in a short time, and
those relationships have been a fundamental part of the start of my developing career." She
emphasized, "It's great to love the people you work with."

When asked for her advice on these unprecedented times, Gwyneth said, "College students should
alleviate some pressure off themselves to fulfill paper perfect experiences right now." She recommends
that students take this time to talk to and establish as many connections with people who work in their
desired industry. She said from talking to the right people and asking the right questions, she learned
more than in a classroom, while seeking out mentors that have given her guidance throughout her
career.

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PROFESSOR SPOTLIGHT

Professor Jonathan McVerry

by Jarod Kutz

Jonathan McVerry is a communications strategist for the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in
Public Communication in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. McVerry also
teaches two communications courses: COMM 260W: News Writing and Reporting and COMM
471: Public Relations Methods. With a passion for writing, he says that both courses are
extremely gratifying to teach because both are writing-focused. McVerry focuses on encouraging
creativity and presents his students with different kinds of assignments so they have an “I got
this” attitude after leaving his class.

"The passion [for teaching] comes from witnessing realization. It can be the moment a student
learns what makes a good quote, or a time when I help them piece together a story and they see
the difference between a solid product and a half-baked one. That's gold. It doesn't happen all of
the time for every student, but when it does, it's quite rewarding," said McVerry.

After graduating from Penn State in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, McVerry began
his career working for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette while receiving his master’s degree from
Shippensburg University. Shortly after, he made his way back to Penn State for a job in the
marketing office of Penn State’s Auxiliary and Business Services. One particular aspect of Penn
State truly rises above all for McVerry, and that is camaraderie.

"It's hard to beat the camaraderie. It's uncommon to live in a place where you're all on the same
team. It became very apparent to me living in other towns in Pennsylvania. So many people in
other parts of the state want to be a Penn Stater. I worked with folks that had Penn State stuff
covering their offices and cars and clothes, but they didn't go here. It's cool to be a part of
that," said McVerry.

McVerry was presented with the chance to begin teaching at Penn State six years ago, and he
took advantage of that opportunity and has been teaching every year since. He is the father to his
adorable six-month-old daughter named Zoë and he plays in the local acoustic rock band Hops &
Vines.

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PRSSA COMMITTEE RECAPS
Highlighting the work that PRSSA's three committees have accomplished
throughout the semester

Digital Media and Events Committee

by Nikole Pirrera

This semester, Megan Lantz and Cat Simms led a group of juniors and seniors through the world of
public relations as chairs of the Digital Media and Events Committee.

Megan is a graduating senior majoring in public relations and minoring in digital media trends and
analytics. She looks forward to immersing herself and her skillset within a full-time position at a
public relations agency upon her graduation in May.

Cat is also a graduating senior majoring in public relations and minoring in digital media trends and
analytics and international studies, with a certificate in event planning. After graduation, Cat plans
to expand her knowledge of public relations by working for a PR firm. She is also excited to
continue creating content for her YouTube channel to expand herself as a brand.

“My favorite thing about serving as a committee chair was getting to know all of the committee
members on both a professional and personal level. I loved watching everyone learn and grow
throughout the year and become better aspiring PR professionals,” Cat said.

Throughout the semester, Cat and Megan led their committee through interactive
workshops where members learned all aspects of digital media and event planning. As the
Communications and Digital Strategy Chair, Megan led students through detailed workshops where
they got the chance to enhance their resumes and cover letters. Cat, the Event Planning Chair,
helped students plan different mock events, allowing them to dive into their creative side.

“Being able to guide students through applying to jobs and internships and assist members in
curating newsletters and cover letters felt extremely rewarding. I am so thankful for this position and
for having the opportunity to share my knowledge, while also expanding my skills as a leader,”
Megan said.

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PRSSA COMMITTEE RECAPS
Highlighting the work that PRSSA's three committees have accomplished
throughout the semester

Strategic Communications Committee

by Natalie Desouza

Under the direction of Natalie DeSouza and Jarod Kutz, the Strategic Communications Committee
was able to provide essential job development skills to freshmen and sophomore public relations
students to assist them in the future. Throughout the semester, the committee hosted a resume
workshop, LinkedIn workshop, Canva workshop, interview workshop, and more. As a result, many of
the members took what they learned in the meetings and brought them to the Spring Career Days in
February, which for many was their first career fair experience.

During the introduction to graphic design workshop with Canva, a mini-contest was held with all
members to create a design for the PRSSA social media outlets highlighting the three fundraiser
events. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the meetings had to switch to a remote learning format and
the three planned fundraisers were cancelled. However, this did not stop the hard work and
dedication of both the chairs and committee members. Upon the first meeting in the remote period,
the committee analyzed how different businesses were responding with their publics during this
crisis and brainstormed tips that communications professionals should follow during a time like a
pandemic. The committee also analyzed new logos that many brands were experimenting with to
showcase the era of social distancing.

In a bittersweet farewell, the last Strategic Communications meeting ended with hopes and goals for
the next school year for PRSSA. Although it is a hard time for all members, everyone in the Strategic
Communications Committee is eager to continue their professional development in PRSSA in the
upcoming year.

“As the Creative Development Chair in this committee it has been an honor to see the growth
professionally in especially the freshmen and the dedication they put into PRSSA," Natalie said. “I
look forward to seeing them as future leaders in PRSSA.”

This article was written by Natalie DeSouza, Co-Chair of the Strategic Communications Committee.

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PRSSA COMMITTEE RECAPS
Highlighting the work that PRSSA's three committees have accomplished
throughout the semester

THON Committee
BY Yunjing Zhang

This year, the PRSSA THON Committee raised $7,560.83 towards THON 2020’s $11.7 million
fundraising total. Dancers Ellie Stewart and Brittany Read took the THON floor and danced for over 46
hours to represent PRSSA, one of the only communications-based organizations with a THON
committee, and to fight for a cure.

Ellie Stewart, Primary THON Chair, is a sophomore majoring in public relations. She joined PRSSA in
the Fall of 2018 because of the great opportunities PRSSA has for networking at Penn State and in the
real world.

"It was amazing to see how so many people came together for one cause," Ellie said. "It was also a very
fulfilling experience as being this year's Primary THON Chair. I was able to see the committee's hard
work pay off. So many of PRSSA's familiar faces helped get me through the harder times on the floor."

Brittany Read is a senior majoring in telecommunications. Brittany is a member of the Digital Media and
Events Committee, along with the THON Committee. She joined PRSSA in September of 2019 in an
effort to expand her public relations knowledge.

PRSSA’s THON Committee began their fundraising efforts in the Fall semester. Efforts included hosting
a baking and bonding night to support various bake sales, and weekly committee meetings to prepare
and get excited for the big weekend. PRSSA’s THON family, the Whiteheads, also attended one
meeting and helped paint letters to hold in the stands throughout THON 2020.

Emily Whitehead, PRSSA’s THON child, was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia when she was six
years old. When chemotherapy treatments were not working, doctors took a risk and tried out a new
special T-cell therapy. Emily is the first person in the world to undergo this successful treatment.
Whether someone is a general member or student leader, Emily's incredible story inspires everyone in
PRSSA to continue involvement with the organization in hopes of finding a cure.

Jacob Hord, Co-Family Relations Chair, said the Whiteheads have changed his life. "They inspire me
every day, and I have loved getting to know them and about their journey," Jacob said.

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CHAPTER ACHIEVEMENTS
Highlighting the accomplishments of the Penn State PRSSA Chapter

Brandi Boatner LEcture Series

Penn State PRSSA organized a university-wide lecture series that took place in early
February, featuring Brandi Boatner, the Social and Influencer Communications Lead
for Global Markets at IBM.

Boatner’s three-day lecture series included connecting her with career services, Bob
Martin, classroom conversations, along with her three lectures: “Diversity & Inclusion:
Value Our Differences,” “Beyond the Classroom: Secrets Not in the Textbooks,” and
“Branding with Brandi.”

This lecture series was organized primarily by Corinne Findlay and Jarod Kutz, who
connected with Boatner at PRSSA National events, and remained in touch to develop
a relationship that served to benefit all of Penn State PRSSA.

Central pa prsa and penn state prssa

In an effort to form a mutually beneficial relationship with our parent Chapter, Penn
State PRSSA has connected with the Central PA PRSA to plan a networking event to
take place next semester. Our Chapter is excited to utilize this relationship to
strengthen the Chapter, and the opportunities provided to our members.

Thon fundraising total

We are so excited to share that this year, PRSSA's THON Committee raised
$7,560.83 all For The Kids! The bulk of this total was raised throughout the Spring
2020 semester, as the PRSSA THON Committee raised $940 towards this total
throughout the Fall 2019 semester.

This total is a result of the efforts of Ellie Stewart, Primary THON Chair, Kristi Chan,
Alternate Fundraising Chair, Jacob Hord, Co-Family Relations Chair, Emma
Creamer, Co-Family Relations Chair, and all THON Committee general members.

Navigating remote meetings

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and university closures, we successfully
transitioned to virtual general meetings and committee meetings for the remainder of
the remote semester.

We are pleased to share that we were able to hold two virtual general meetings
including an internship panel and a Q&A hour with our professional advisor Elizabeth
Greenaway. Additionally, the organization held biweekly committee meetings to
successfully continue membership engagement and benefits under the current
circumstances.

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A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Megan Lantz

FEATURED WRITERS
Megan Lantz
Tao chen
Maggie Ward
Abby Johnson
Jarod Kutz
Nikole Pirrera
Natalie Desouza
Yunjing Zhang

FEATURED IN THIS EDITION

Corinne Findlay
Jarod Kutz
Abby Maxwell
Gwyneth Mulliken
Professor Jonathan McVerry
Megan Lantz
Cat Simms
Natalie Desouza
Ellie Stewart
Brittany Read
Jacob Hord