Membership Spotlight: Mackenzi Hockensmith

The sixth membership spotlight of the year is Mackenzi Hockensmith, a sophomore majoring in public relations. This is Mackenzi’s first year as a member of PRSSA and she is already a committed member of our chapter. Mackenzi can often be found bonding with other members and being an active member of the fundraising committee!

Here is a Q&A session with Mackenzi:

Q: Where are you from? What is your major/minor?

A: I am from Mechanicsburg, PA. It is right outside of Harrisburg in Central PA. My major is Public Relations and I am adding Political Science as a minor next semester.

Q: Why do you love PRSSA? What do you hope to get out of it?

A: I really like how welcoming and helpful the people are. I feel like anyone is willing to help you out and give you advice or help you with homework. I hope that I am able to create connections and meet people who will introduce me to the different aspects of PR. I definitely think that everyone in PRSSA has a different area they are focusing on, and I have no idea where to start, so it is really helpful to see all aspects.

Q: What have you done with the fundraising committee?

A: I have helped out at the late night food sale along with attending our meetings. This week we have a holiday bake sale that I am really looking forward to, it will be fun to bake with the entire committee.

Q: What PRSSA events have you participated in?

A: Unfortunately, I have not made it to a lot of the agency tours or networking events due to my class and work schedule this semester. Next semester I really look forward to going to agency tours to be able to take a future look into a possible career option.

Q: What other TU organizations are you a part of?

A: I am also in Delta Zeta and work at Temple Athletics within their marketing department.

Q: What is the coolest place you’ve ever visited?

A: The coolest place I have ever been was definitely Lake Hughes, California where I volunteered at a summer camp. It was in the middle of nowhere but was incredibly beautiful and had really neat wildlife that we don't have here.

Q: Favorite social media platform and why?

A: I really like Twitter because I feel like everything is very relatable and I always find something to laugh at.

Q: Dream job?

A: I think my dream job would definitely be Secretary of State just because you get to experience and dive into a different culture everyday depending on who you work with. You are able to hopefully do good for the country and other countries, but also meet new people and immerse yourself into other lives.

To learn more about Mackenzi follow her on social media!

Instagram: @mackenzi_starr

This blog post was written by Caitlin Gemmi, Digital Publications Editor & Mackenzi Hockensmith, General Body Member & Spotlight Recipient.

Speaker Recap - John Kouten

For our meeting on November 27th, we had the honor of welcoming current PRSA President of the Philadelphia Chapter, John Kouten. In addition to his presidential roles, Kouten is also the CEO of JFK Communications, a company which he founded in 2004. JFK Communications specializes in science, healthcare, and technology industries.

Kouten discussed ways in which to think about and plan employment upon graduation. He broke this plan down into two major categories: setting goals and taking action. Public Relations ultimately has three paths that can be chosen: agency, non-profit, and corporate. Taking action and getting involved was one of the main themes Kouten talked about during the meeting. Kouten explained to us how mentorship, extra-curricular, and internships are key when it comes to getting involved. Kouten stressed how being apart of Rowan’s chapter of PRSSA helped shape his future. His involvement with the organization influenced where he is today. He explained how getting to know people through PRSSA was a big help because he was able to talk to friends within the organization to get a better sense of what to do post-graduation.

This proves how strong the relationship between PRSSA and PRSA is. This was another main theme that Kouten discussed with us. While Kouten was a member of PRSSA, he served on the e-board. He used these skills from his PRSSA chapter and continues to apply them to his presidential duties today. Another way Kouten described the relationship between PRSSA and PRSA is through mentorship. He stressed how being a mentor or having a mentor can be very beneficial, and both PRSSA and PRSA use this to their advantage. Kouten also urged we join Philadelphia’s chapter to strengthen the relationship between the organizations even more.

Overall, Kouten offered many helpful tips on how to start planning by setting goals and taking action. He also focused on the importance of getting involved, especially with PRSSA, because the skills learned in PRSSA will be beneficial. Lastly, Kouten stressed the relationship between PRSSA and PRSA and how both can be very useful to one another.

This blog post was written by Andrea DeSando, General Body Member.

Membership Spotlight: Lindsey Danasko

The fifth membership spotlight of the year is Lindsey Danasko, a freshman majoring in public relations and minoring in communication studies. This is Lindsey’s first year as a member of PRSSA and she is already a very committed member of our chapter. Lindsey can often be found attending all of the outside events PRSSA has to offer and networking with professionals and peers!

Here is a Q&A session with Lindsey:

Q: Where are you from?

A: I am from a really small town in Montgomery County, PA. It's about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia.

Q: Why do you love PRSSA? What do you hope to get out of it?

A: I love PRSSA because it has given me such a jump-start to my career. I also love this organization because I have made some awesome friends and have been given the ability to network with so many awesome people in the Philadelphia area. What I hope to get out of PRSSA is a high number of connections and a better understanding of what I want for myself in the future.

Q: What have you done with the Community Service committee?

A: Currently with the community service committee, I have helped come up with ideas and different events that we can do as both an organization and a committee that will help benefit the community in Philadelphia.

Q: What PRSSA events have you participated in?

A: I have actually participated in a bunch of PRSSA events. The first event was with the community service committee, and it was going to an event call the Butterfly Ball to help raise money for breast cancer. I also took part in the mentor/mentee event PRSSA held at the end of October to help us all bond. More recently I went to the networking event with Bloomsburg PRSSA where we gave them a tour of our campus and what we do and afterward headed into the city to grab some dinner and talk about our plans. The last event I’ve done with Temple PRSSA is going on the Bellevue Communications tour! Although we had to drag ourselves through the cold snow, it was an awesome opportunity to learn more about agency life and potential job opportunities in the future!

Q: What other TU organizations are you a part of?

A: I am not part of many of Temple's organizations, but I just joined Diamond Winterguard which is Temple's indoor color guard team!

Q: What is the coolest place you’ve ever visited?

A: I think the coolest place I have traveled is to Niagara Falls, Canada. It was such a pretty trip with my family and it was an awesome experience. I think that trip has to tie with a Disney cruise to the Bahamas, because what can I say, I'm not just a city girl, I'm also a beach girl!

Q: Favorite social media platform and why?

A: My favorite social media is definitely Instagram! It is a way that I can express myself and my love for photography all while creating a network with not only my friends but professionals and potential employers. It's also a great plug for my YouTube channel.

Q: Dream job?

A: My dream job is definitely working with a makeup company and doing their social media. I am so obsessed with makeup, so working with any makeup company would for sure be a dream come true for me!

To learn more about Lindsey follow her on social media!

Instagram: @lindsey.danasko and @lindseydphotography

Twitter: @lindseydanasko

Youtube: Lindsey Danasko Facebook: Lindsey Maye Danasko LinkedIn: Lindsey Danasko

This blog post was written by Caitlin Gemmi, Digital Publications Editor & Lindsey Danasko, General Body Member & Spotlight Recipient.