Allison (Yamnitz) Hughes enjoys the variety of her work as a senior account executive for the public relations firm Weber Shandwick in St. Louis, Mo. Her consumer-based client work includes providing counsel on and monitoring for developments in social media, assisting with on-site client activations and maintaining media relationships.
“I love working in the digital realm—Twitter, Facebook, foursquare, blogs and more,” said Allison. “Though social media is more integrated than before, it’s still such a new arena, and it’s great to be a part of some new initiatives.”
To navigate this changing media landscape, Allison relies on the tools she acquired during her time at Missouri State as a public relations major. On a daily basis, Allison relies on her writing and interpersonal communication skills to deliver quality services to her clients and to work effectively on team-based projects.
“Whether it’s 140 characters or 1,500 words, understanding how to get key messaging across is crucial,” said Allison. “You won’t be successful in any career if you can’t write well.”
Allison applied her writing skills and communication education through a variety of internships and service-learning projects, including work with Special Olympics in Jefferson City and the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield. In fact, a short-term internship at Weber-Shandwick opened the door to a full-time position.
“It is great to walk into an interview with a strong portfolio of experiences instead of just hypothetical, in-class projects,” said Allison. Through these experiences, Allison explored areas of public relations she had never heard of and learned how to manage a variety of projects.
Allison continues to expand her public relations knowledge and looks forward to sharing her experiences with the next generation of professionals.
“We’re out in the field, and it’s good to report back to students and staff to keep them up-to-date on what’s going on,” said Allison. “It’s also great to be a resource for students that are interested in your field of PR.”
