Alumni Sean Ann Kelly Returns to Share Life Advice

By Angalyse Keyock

Staff Writer

On April 3, the East Stroudsburg University Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted their first alumni visit in Sci-Tech 117, with Public Relation graduate, Sean Ann Kelly.

Kelly spoke of her experiences being involved with public relations as she was a student as ESU just five years ago.

She explained how she landed a job in August of 2013, just three months after receiving her diploma.

While attending ESU, Kelly was a Public relations major with a minor in English and was also the PRSSA’s East Stroudsburg chapter president.

Kelly stressed the importance to students finding their niche to make them stand out from the rest of the applications and resumes on your future employers desk.

“What is important is to build on the experiences you have. You need to find something you can put on your resume that makes a meaningful mark.”

Not being cookie cutter, and an exact copy of the many other communications majors is one of the essential things employers will look at when hiring.

She asked three self-reflective questions to audience, one of them being, “What experiences have you had that make you stand out?”

This question was very eye opening for many students, and made many analyze onto something that makes them stand out from other applicants, and if you did not have that initially spark yet Kelly explained onto how to create it.

Receiving the position of Administration assistant for College Advancement at Johnson College straight out of college, she currently holds the position of Associate Director of Communications at this technical college in Scranton.

She explained at the session she climbed up the ladder and received the position she has now because she “filled the gaps others were leaving wide open.”

“I tackled tasks that others didn’t want to take,” spoke Kelly.

Kelly spoke to many PRSSA members on the importance of the club past graduation, and the benefits it provides to someone in this career track.

She spoke earlier in the day to members of the Public Relations Student Society and gave inside tips and pointers onto how she reached to where she is today.

PRSSA social media coordinator and public relations senior, Brooke Bostic said, “Because I am a senior, graduating in May, it was really invaluable to hear from someone that was in my shoes not too long ago. Sean Ann gave amazing advice to all of the communication students. Her tips and tricks to nail down what you want out of your career was great. I really appreciated how candid she was with a lot of her experiences that we most likely will experience as well.”

Current PRSSA president and public relations senior, Rachel Nappo and current PRSSA vice president and public relations and broadcasting senior, Laura Jean Null had the opportunity to spend some time with Kelly on Tuesday while she visited her alma mater.

“Kelly, me, and Rachel Nappo went to Starbucks together and learned more about her and her experience. She’s an awesome individual and is going to go far with her career in PR,” said Null.

This was the type of information session students needed to be encourages after college.

If interested in attending a PRSSA meeting, meetings are every Tuesdays at 2:30 in Monroe Hall 113.

Email Angalyse

akeyock@live.esu.edu