Name: Emma Goodloe
Major/Minor: Public Relations Major, Public Affairs Communication Certificate
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Campus Involvement: PRSSA member, ADPR Connection Host and Decor Committee 2017, Kappa Kappa Gamma Risk Management Chair, Women in Media member
Company and position of internship last summer: I interned for Congressman Bradley Byrne who is the representative for Alabama’s First District from May 14 – June 8; and I interned at High Cotton Consulting, which is a political fundraising firm for Members of the House of Representatives from June 11 – July 27.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years / What’s your dream job?
Ultimately, I want to work within governmental affairs and shape public policy. I would love to serve as an in-house lobbyist in Washington D.C. for a large corporation for their Political Action Committee. I plan on attending law school after graduation and working within a lobbying shop in D.C. as a lawyer and moving into the lobbying realm myself later on.
What skills did Grady College teach you that you were able to apply to your positions this past summer?
I assisted the Congressman and his staff by preparing press releases and one-minute speeches to be delivered on the House floor. Grady College has effectively taught me the writing style necessary to complete tasks such as these that require you gain the reader’s attention early on with the emphasis of strong language at the beginning of articles. Additionally, while working for the fundraising firm, I was in constant communication with both Congressmen and lobbyists and serving as a liaison between the two. Grady College has helped me develop communication skills in both writing and speaking so that I felt confident when facilitating these conversations.
What advice do you have for students wanting to work or intern in this kind of position?
I would tell any student interested in interning in either of these two kinds of positions to completely engage yourself and be open to any job that your intern coordinator or boss might ask of you. People already immersed in the epicenter of public relations are the best ones to learn first-hand from. Additionally, engaging in tasks under strict time constraints or tasks that test your skills in a fast-moving environment are the best ways to learn and adapt to the public relations world.
What Grady classes best prepared you for your position this summer, and how so?
My confidence in my internships this summer stemmed from my classes with Professor Watson in the Public Affairs Communication certificate, Journalism: Writing Across Platforms course, and Dr. Reber’s course on Public Affairs Communication. Dr. Reber’s class introduced me to working and communicating with a client weekly to create proposals and assignments in a timely manner. The work in this course mirrored many of the tasks I completed at High Cotton.
What skills did your position this summer teach you that you will apply to your career after UGA?
Adaptability. One minute you may be asked to complete a post on social media about fishing refineries in Alabama and the next you may be creating a spreadsheet on the potential donors from a county in rural Alabama. There is no set agenda in this major or career, so do not expect one. Rather be the adaptable intern or employee that can efficiently handle all the work without stress or frustration.
UGA’s AdPR Department loves hearing from successful students like Emma! Keep up the good work!
