Spring Break
New PR firm looks to expand
Janhavi Purohit
Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: News
After launching 33rd Street Public Relations, an independent, student-run public relations and communications agency last year, Drexel's Public Relations Student Society of America is looking to get the organization off the ground.
The firm is affiliated with PRSSA but is its own separate entity, according to PRSSA co-president and junior communications major Frannie DeFranco.
According to DeFranco, 33rd Street Public Relations "has to be associated with PRSSA; it doesn't make sense if they don't exist together."
DeFranco added that the majority of the firm is currently made up of current PRSSA members.
"Right now, since the two are evolving so much together, a lot of the members involved in 33rd Street are also involved in PRSSA. Everything in the two has to do with PR," DeFranco said.
Sonal Patel, 33rd Street account executive and junior corporate communications major, said the organization is looking to keep the staff mostly Drexel-based.
"So far, it's 75 percent PRSSA members," Patel said.
While the firm is looking to continue expanding its client base, according to account executive and sophomore communications major Charlie Vaihinger, some of the firm's current clients include the National Arthritis Foundation and the Eastern American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
"We want to focus on Drexel business entrepreneurs-we know they have a lot of good ideas and we have the resources to help them achieve their goals," Vaihinger said.
Conor Rooney, the firm's assistant director, added that 33rd Street is looking to expand its staff and said positions are open to students in any major.
"We just want students who are serious and who want to learn, in their freshman or sophomore year. We will take any skill they have to work," Rooney said. "Marketing majors, accounting, you don't have to be a communications major to do this."
According to Patel, the firm will function mainly in a public relations capacity, but will also work to pitch ideas, plan events and promote clients.
The firm is affiliated with PRSSA but is its own separate entity, according to PRSSA co-president and junior communications major Frannie DeFranco.
According to DeFranco, 33rd Street Public Relations "has to be associated with PRSSA; it doesn't make sense if they don't exist together."
DeFranco added that the majority of the firm is currently made up of current PRSSA members.
"Right now, since the two are evolving so much together, a lot of the members involved in 33rd Street are also involved in PRSSA. Everything in the two has to do with PR," DeFranco said.
Sonal Patel, 33rd Street account executive and junior corporate communications major, said the organization is looking to keep the staff mostly Drexel-based.
"So far, it's 75 percent PRSSA members," Patel said.
While the firm is looking to continue expanding its client base, according to account executive and sophomore communications major Charlie Vaihinger, some of the firm's current clients include the National Arthritis Foundation and the Eastern American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
"We want to focus on Drexel business entrepreneurs-we know they have a lot of good ideas and we have the resources to help them achieve their goals," Vaihinger said.
Conor Rooney, the firm's assistant director, added that 33rd Street is looking to expand its staff and said positions are open to students in any major.
"We just want students who are serious and who want to learn, in their freshman or sophomore year. We will take any skill they have to work," Rooney said. "Marketing majors, accounting, you don't have to be a communications major to do this."
According to Patel, the firm will function mainly in a public relations capacity, but will also work to pitch ideas, plan events and promote clients.
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