Kate Ratner, COL ’25, Philadelphia, PA
This summer, I worked as a Public Relations intern at Braithwaite Communications in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Braithwaite is a boutique PR firm that represents clients in several industries such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, food production, and nonprofit. The office is located in Center City, but I spent much of my time as an intern working from home. As a Communications major looking to possibly pursue a career in PR, this internship was the perfect opportunity to better understand the field.
Under the leadership of my four internship coordinators, I assisted in daily projects such as completing media lists, counter pitching to various news sources, and writing articles and social copy for clients. Additionally, I attended weekly meetings with my internship coordinators, the entire Braithwaite staff, and my fellow interns. I was able to build important professional relationships through one-on-one meetings with colleagues and participating in culture events such as a staff-wide Phillies game. I visited the office twice to work in person with my fellow interns and meet members of the staff without a screen dividing us.
Before this internship, I had no experience in the PR side of Communications. I am lucky to have been able to learn and practice new skills under such an inspired and driven staff. Aside from my proficiency in a PR position, I gained confidence in my ability to communicate with others and thrive in a team environment. I look forward to my future in Communications, and I maintain that PR as a great option for my career post-graduation.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2022 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here.