My name is Elizabeth Burns, and I am a junior at SUNY Albany majoring in English with a minor in Communications. This semester, I’ve had the privilege of interning full-time at Corning Place Communications – fulfilling the credits for my minor outside of the classroom, while also gaining professional experience. At CPC, I was able to observe and participate in the kind of unique work that stems from an integration of media relations and government affairs.
One of the most valuable aspects of interning at CPC has been the exposure to various platforms of media and the power that each holds to elevate messaging. As part of my experience over the past few months, I monitored social media closely and was introduced to ways of tracking the attention that particular issues or events receive through Twitter. Prior to my time at CPC, I was unaware of the varied capabilities of Twitter as a real-time news source. Becoming aware of new strategies for obtaining metrics based off of hashtag use, retweets, and the number of follower’s reached, gave me a newfound appreciation for Twitter as a useful tool.
Through drafting social media postings, news releases and letters to the editor, I learned about the challenges of conveying newsworthy information. This form of writing greatly differs from expository papers I’ve written as an English major and I look forward to refining my journalistic skills through future courses and professional experiences.
In addition to the written work and media placements that CPC orchestrates, the production of creative material such as postcards and videos is another vital service offered by the agency. As part of CPC’s mission to sustain consistent messaging, supplemental items present the message in a fresh or clever way and can evoke an emotional response; ideally this type of messaging will “connect the visceral with the tangible,” as CPC’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director Paul Larrabee often says.
Many of the positions that CPC advances for clients are of a political nature and oftentimes collaboration occurs with partnering government relations firm, Hinman Straub. In its partnership with Hinman Straub, CPC offers guidance to clients to ensure preparedness and effective messaging to ultimately reach their objective. I occasionally attended and photographed clients’ advocacy events. Witnessing this activity was fascinating and showcased how public policy is advanced.
These are only a few examples of the type of work that I observed and collaborated on while interning at Corning Place Communications. Being a part of this team and gaining insight into the type of work has been truly enriching. I am grateful for the opportunity to have had access to the world of media relations and government affairs. This opportunity will benefit me as I move forward in my studies, and a career in public relations.