Where are they now? Past Student Steering Committee Members tell us their story
Our new series explores the lives of past Student Steering Committee members. Stay tuned for more!
MARIA-TERESA ANDREACCHI
Centennial College Certificate of Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Bed, BA (honors)
I sat at the back of the class, quiet in nature, waiting for the presentation to begin. I wasn’t sure what this presentation would be about or the importance of my attendance, but I knew I had to give it a try. That moment, attending the presentation, was one of the best career moves I made. Half way through the CPRS Student President’s speech, I knew I had to be a part of it. That night I wrote my application and three weeks later I received an acceptance letter.
Aside from meeting and working along side a group of incredible young PR professionals, the CPRS student committee gave me the opportunity to expand myself professionally. As a CPRS student committee member I was exposed to an array of opportunities. I helped execute several events, built my professional network and was exposed to the best in the industry. When I wasn’t helping run our student led events, I was liaising CPRS information to my Centennial colleagues.
My fondest memories of the CPRS student committee are networking, hosting professional development sessions and making a new group of friends. The CPRS committee gave me experiences that are invaluable. On a resume “CPRS student committee” may seem like a small addition, but to prospective employers those three words scream: dedicated, committed and eager.
Being exposed to the CPRS student committee motivated me to work harder and pursue my dreams. If I wasn’t exposed to that, I may not be where I am today. While PR is a tough industry to break into, hard work and dedication has set me aside.
I now work as digital marketing assistant and social media expert for Meridian, Ontario’s largest credit union. My days are split between three departments: digital marketing, digital banking and brand marketing. While my time is largely spent managing our social channels and developing content, I also help develop and execute large corporate projects. In the past four months at Meridian I’ve taught several members of the Senior Leadership team how to use social media, collaborated with other departments to gain over $16,000 in extra social media budget and helped jumpstart the CEO on Twitter.
But Meridian isn’t my only job. Half way through my Centennial year, I decided to pursue blogging full time. I’m happy to say that Fashion. Food. Flair. is now a recognized blog that has recently embarked on several paid collaborations. My days are long and the hours are insane but I wouldn’t change one second of it. If there’s one thing working on the CPRS student committee taught me it’s this: When an opportunity comes, take it, because you never know where it might take you.
Find me on:
Twitter: @mariateresa89
LinkedIn: http://lnkd.in/bDV2bm9
Blog: www.fashionfoodflair.com
