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.