SIU PRSSA Southern Illinois University Public Relations Student Society of America
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Transitioning from college to the “real world” can be quite scary especially in the times of the virus, COVID-19. With such uncertainty during these times, I decided to reach out to an old member of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Martavia Prunty, to get an idea of what the real world looks like during times. Martavia Prunty was once a beloved member of SIUC (Southern Illinois University in Carbondale) PRSSA.
When Martavia first joined, she was a general member. As time progressed, she interviewed for the position of Outreach Coordinator for PRSSA and got the gig! Martavia was highly successful in college and we expected nothing less when she graduated. Martavia graduated in December 2020 with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Television Studies. Martavia explained the difficulty in getting a job due to COVID but she was able to land herself a job at The Harbour in Park Ridge, IL. She explains, “I am a Youth Development Specialist working directly with homeless youth (specifically young women). I work closely with the girls to prepare them for life after completing our some of our many programs we offer!” We are so happy for you Martavia!
When asked how she likes her job, she explains, “I enjoy my job. I have a particularly important job that is necessary for the success of young adult women. COVID has made some things hard, but not impossible. I love what I do.” This is not a shock due to just how much college life has shifted during these times.
From online classes to minimal face to face interactions, the world is completely changing but Martavia Prunty had advice for the people who are about to graduate. She says, “Never give up. Have multiple plans because you can never be over prepared for the real world. College is a safe space, adulting is a jungle! You never know what could happen. Never lose focus and do not have negative thoughts. That first rejection for a position will not be your last. Keep going!” Thank you for that advice, Martavia. I am sure many people need to hear that. As a graduating senior myself, this advice helped me maintain my focus and to never be too hard on myself.
As I was wrapping things up with Martavia Prunty, I wondered what PRSSA has done for her in anyway. She expressed, “PRSSA definitely helped me with real life work situations. Now that I have professional job, I am thankful that I was able to experience working with real PR clients and my peers. PRSSA helped a lot preparing me for interpersonal communication outside of college.” Thank you for sharing your experience Martavia and personally, as friend of yours, I wish you nothing but success!
