Written by Sophia Damon
Taylor Stickles is a PRSSA alumni from the University of Rhode Island Chapter. She graduated in 2019 majoring in public relations and communications, along with a minor in business. During her time at URI she served as the secretary for our PRSSA chapter. Taylor currently works as a campaign development manager at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Taylor recently spoke to students across the country at the PRSSA District Conference, hosted by her former chapter at URI.
Q: What was your college experience like?
I loved my college experience! I was involved in a sorority as well as PRSSA, which helped me meet a ton of new people. I also had various jobs throughout my four years, including working as a sales associate at the University Spirit store in the emporium, an events assistant at the Ryan Center, and a student Phonathon caller at the URI Foundation. I also completed several internships, including the Harrington Media Agency, FM Global, and the URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies. Each of these roles helped me refine my communication, public speaking, social media and networking skills.
Q: How did PRSSA impact your career?
PRSSA helped me grow my leadership and networking skills. During my senior year, I took on the role of Secretary and Special Events Coordinator, which gave me the leadership and event planning experience I had been looking for. PRSSA also helped connect me with mentors in different PR industries. I took it upon myself to attend almost every networking event the Harrington School and PRSSA offered, and even went to the PRSSA District Conference at Boston University my senior year. I still have tons of LinkedIn connections that were made through various PRSSA and networking events during my time at URI.
Q: What was it like speaking at the PRSSA District Conference?
Speaking at the PRSSA District Conference was such an honor! It felt as if my life had come full circle, as just two years ago I was a URI senior attending the conference at BU. I enjoyed speaking about my work at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, as well as sharing advice about navigating the challenges of post-grad life, especially during a pandemic. It felt great to give back and help PRSSA members, since I was in their shoes not too long ago!
Q: What’s your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is meeting and interacting with the organization’s volunteers. I am a people person, so I enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. Additionally, I love working for a non-profit because I can truly feel good about the work I am doing, and know that I am helping to make a positive impact on the lives of cancer patients.
University of Rhode Island PRSSA 