By: Lennon DiSimone, Summer 2023 TBC Intern

For the last three years, I have learned a lot about public relations through my course work at Virginia Tech. However, nothing has taught me more about the world of public relations than my summer internship at Thomas/Boyd Communications (TBC). This internship experience has allowed me to gain a new perspective of every level of public relations.

One thing I have enjoyed most about my TBC experience is how involved I’ve been with different assignments, ranging from social media to writing press releases, for multiple clients. I was not previously aware of the effort that is needed to manage a client’s social media platforms such as scheduling posts, creating graphics and writing post copy. Additionally, I wrote a news release, then distributed it to the media and monitored for coverage, seeing the process through from start to finish. This has been very different than my experience writing press releases in the classroom, where it is just graded after one attempt at writing it.

Furthermore, I found the constructive review process by my managers Lauren and Lindsey to be very helpful. After completing an assignment, they would both sit down with me and go over my work and offer advice and revisions. This process has been extremely helpful to my personal growth as a writer and has taught me the value of teamwork when working at an agency.

Interning at TBC has allowed me to take what I’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to real world PR work for actual clients. This experience has provided me with incredible insight into what a career in PR would look like, especially at an agency. I feel that it has not only contributed to my growth of knowledge in the field of PR, but it has also helped me gain a better understanding of how I’d like to pursue my career in PR after I graduate next year. The culture at TBC is refreshingly welcoming and supportive, which has made my time here just that much better. As I return to Virgina Tech with an abundance of new knowledge and office experience, I would absolutely recommend an internship at TBC to other PR students!