InternViews: Blake Witmer

InternViews is a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.

Blake Witmer, a public relations major, interns for The Museum of Public Relations in New York City this summer. Read more about her experience below.

Provide a brief overview of your role and its associated responsibilities. 

I’m a summer intern at the Public Relations Museum in New York City. My role includes creating and managing social media content to promote museum events and programs, tracking Google Analytics, recommending ways to boost our SEO, helping out with in-person tours, helping with lectures and archiving artifacts into our database. It’s a hands-on experience that’s taught me a lot about PR history and how to connect audiences to it in creative ways!

What opportunities did you have during your internship? 

One of the best parts of this internship has been the people I’ve gotten to meet. Through PR Museum events, I’ve had the chance to connect with incredible leaders like Grace Leong, CEO of Hunter PR, and trailblazers like Diana Kalman, a member of WEPR who helped shape PR history. Each conversation has been inspiring and insightful! 

What is one piece of work you are proud of creating in this role? 

I’m really proud of the growth I’ve helped drive on the PR Museum’s social media, especially on TikTok and Instagram. Over the past month, our TikTok views increased by more than 450%, with audience reach jumping from just over 1,100 to nearly 7,000. We’ve also seen big gains in engagement. On Instagram, our profile had over 5,400 views, and more than half came from accounts that don’t follow us yet. It’s been exciting to experiment with content, tap into trends and see it resonate so strongly with a younger, largely Gen Z audience.

How has the Grady curriculum prepared you for this internship?

Grady truly prepared me tenfold for this internship. Classes like Graphic Communications with my favorite, Professor Kim Landrum, mirror exactly what I’m doing day-to-day, from designing content to thinking strategically about visual storytelling. Beyond the classroom, the University of Georgia’s emphasis on hands-on experience through extracurriculars gave me the confidence and skills to thrive in a professional setting.

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience?

My boss, Shelley Spector, who is also the founder of the PR Museum, has been an incredible mentor. Her guidance has helped me navigate both a new professional environment and life in a new city as a young woman. Her support and example have truly shaped my experience and growth this summer. 

What challenges have you overcome in this role? 

One challenge has been coming up with fresh content ideas every day, especially while keeping things relevant and engaging. I have found that collaborating with my coworkers and talking through ideas as a team has made all the difference. It’s taught me the value of brainstorming and not being afraid to ask for help.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you gained from your experience? 

The most valuable piece of advice I’ve gained is to see the hustle and bustle of New York City as an opportunity, not something to be intimidated by. Being surrounded by so many people and ideas can feel overwhelming at first, but it’s also what makes the city so exciting. There’s inspiration around every corner if you’re open to it.

How has this internship influenced your future career? 

This internship has helped me narrow down my niche in a big way. I’m someone who gets excited by everything and wants to try it all, but this experience helped me focus on what truly excites me professionally. It’s given me clarity on the kind of work I’m passionate about and want to pursue moving forward.

Editor: Lily Alarcon, lia52467@uga.edu