Life as a PR Intern

My name is Ashleigh, and this is my first semester as a public relations intern at the Georgia Museum of Art. Up until this point, I had never done anything pertaining to PR, or least I thought I hadn’t. I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself, as well as gaining a ton of experience. Since I’ve been here, I have done many things, from clippings to helping with special events, drafting press releases, and most important…MEDIA LISTS!

A company or an organization is only as good as its media lists, a little something that Jenny Williams, the media relations coordinator at the museum, filled me in on. Media lists are extremely important, and keeping them up to date is even more important, so that has been sort of my main focus so far. I’ve been making sure the lists are correct, with the correct person as well as the right address, because there’s nothing like sending out a press release or information about the museum and it being sent right back to you because the address or contact person is incorrect.

I also drafted and completed my first press release! I must say that I was extremely nervous about writing a press release. Like I said before, I had no experience in PR, so I did not even know exactly what a press release was and what it entailed. My first press release was about a film called “Willow Garden” by Jim Haverkamp, which will be shown at the museum on April 23, 2008, at 7 p.m. in the M. Smith Griffith Auditorium (pub!!!). It is a part of the Southern Arts Federation Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers (pub!!!). I call this press release “my baby” because it is my first, and I am extremely proud it. There’s nothing like sending out something you wrote and with YOUR NAME ON IT. Greatest feeling ever!!!

Along with updating media lists and completing my first press release, I have also helped with a special event this semester. I got to take part in the Fourth Henry D. Green Symposium of the Decorative Arts. It was a wonderful experience. I mostly checked people in and mingled from time to time. I also drank AWESOME lemonade all night long and had the most DELICIOUS mini red velvet cakes…YUM!!! I got to take a tour of the exhibitions that were presented that night and I must say that they were amazing, beyond belief!!!

I am in the process of drafting my second press release about the exhibition From the Collection: The Authority of the Mexican Muralists.

So far, so good!!! I’m enjoying myself so much, but back to work I go!!!