Advertising/Public Relations Career Guide

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Consider joining the Communication and the Arts Career Community or any other Career Community you are interested in!

Past Internship Sites:

  • Townsquare Media
  • 8ThirtyFour Design
  • Quicken Loans
  • Experience Grand Rapids
  • ACS Home and Work
  • Meijer Corporation
  • Murdoch Marketing
  • GVSU Alumni Relations
  • Forest Preserve District of Kane County
  • Monarch Investment and Management Group

Where Alumni Have Landed

  • Freelance Graphic Designer – New York City, New York
  • Academic Advisor – Grand Valley State University
  • Digital Advertising Specialist – Deksia
  • Customer Success Manager – DealerOn
  • Social Media Coordinator – Resurrection Life Church
  • Assistant Golf Professional – Petoskey-Bay View Country Club
  • Sales Executive– Zillow Group
  • Assistant Event Manager – Gilmore Catering
  • Service Advocate– Farmers Insurance
  • Media Buyer/CRM Planner – Lake Michigan Credit Union
  • Assistant Account Executive – Seyferth PR
  • Art Director – Extra Credit Projects
  • Collections Specialist – Fifth Third Bank
  • Catering Coordinator – Aramark
  • Assistant Director of Greek Life and Student Organizations – Albion College
  • Zone Director – Steelcase
  • Marketing Lead – Trotec Laser, Inc.
  • Recruiter – ManpowerGroup
  • Media Management & Marketing – Alive Media, LLC
  • Administrative Assistant to the Principal – East Grand Rapids Public Schools

Ad/PR spotlights

Jesse Schmitt '22 Spotlight

Jesse Schmitt '22

Some of my favorite memories come from my time running GrandPR, GVSU's student-run communications firm. It was both challenging and rewarding, and I met many of my closest friends because of it.

Hannah Pier-Herendeen '12 Spotlight

Hannah Pier-Herendeen '12

My capstone class with Professor Bulson was such a great class to culminate my experience in health communications. He was very knowledgeable and an overall great professor to have before graduation.

Amberly Dzimira '23 Spotlight

Amberly Dzimira '23

I loved my time working at the GVSU Alumni Relations Office as a student communications assistant. I had a great time facilitating the alumni events and bugging the student graphic designer, who remains one of my closest friends.

View More Ad/PR spotlights


Student Organizations to Consider

  • International Advertising Association
  • GVSU Ad Club Facebook Group, Page & Twitter Feed
  • American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
  • American Marketing Association
  • Organization for Professional WRiters
  • Professionals Sales Association
  • Writer’s Club
  • PRSSA, PRSA, GVSU PRSSA, GVSU PRSSA Blog
  • Ad Club
  • Grand PR
  • Superior Awards
  • American Advertising Federation
  • Advertising Educational Foundation
  • Interactive Advertising Bureau

Study Abroad Programs

As a future graduate with an Advertising and Public Relations major or minor degree, you will be confronting global issues and will work in internationally-operated companies. "Wake up and face the earth!" T. Friedman advised us in his bestseller ‘The World is Flat’. 


Develop some of these technical and professional competencies to be successful:

  • Professional writing/content creation across mediums
  • Active listening skills
  • Presentation and public speaking
  • Market research skills
  • Creativity
  • Technical skills such as Adobe Creative Suite, Excel, Google Analytics, SEO
  • Client relations/negotiations
  • Social media management

Graduate & Professional Programs


Additional Resources

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Page last modified July 9, 2024