Welcome back to Voices of PRSSA, this week we feature our very own Angelina Leung, a senior studying public relations and political science. Angelina started her PRSSA journey as a committee member on the conference team (PRAdvanced: Tune In). She then navigated to Conference Coordinator, Finance Coordinator, to now the President.
What’s your vision for PRSSA after you graduate?
"My vision is definitely on the events side, whether that be through continuing our regional conference, offering more agency tours, weekly meetings — I want to keep connecting professors, students, and professionals, both here at BU and with other PRSSA chapters. I wish to also grow our membership number and involve students outside of PR as well."
Here’s a little secret — Angelina is working on a project for later this semester that will drive our chapter to new heights (stay tuned).
It seems you’ve been very involved in the Conference the whole time, is there a specific reason you ran for Finance Coordinator?
"After interning the summer following my freshman year, I realized the importance of numbers. What better way to know this organization more than to learn the financial side of it — what the numbers say and the cost of keeping our chapter running."
With that, Angelina believed it made sense to transition to finance. She believes it gave her a unique perspective in leading PRSSA.
“During that time, I was also involved with the SAO Student Involvement Board where we decided whether or not potential student groups were going to be officially recognized, and I think that gave me a different perspective in how BURPSSA should operate.
Outside of BUPRSSA, what else are you passionate about?
“I’ve always loved theatre in general and I hoped to combine my passion and career somehow. So I thought…how do I get the best of both worlds? I joined BU On Broadway my sophomore year and produced a few shows for them. Last semester actually, I was one of the head producer for Big Fish.”
As Angelina describes her unique take on her intersection in passion and ambition, she highlights how her involvement with BU Broadway was still closely connected with what she’s studying in PR.
How do you envision your post-grad career trajectory?
“Oh… I used to have a 10-year plan” Angelina laughed, “Not anymore though, I’m not as stressed out about it now. My immediate plan after graduation is to move to New York.”
Angelina eventually wants to work for a global consumer or entertainment brand as an in-house professional, but thinks starting at an agency will diversify her knowledge and skills.
“I like to be busy. I like to push myself and I am definitely an ambitious person. I try to do the best I can, in both advancing myself and pursuing my career goals.”
What are some tips you’d give to students going into PRSSA?
“I’d say, starting early is very beneficial. You get to decide how much you want to commit and you get what you give. I’m a huge advocate on being proactive. We bring in speakers every week, an annual conference, a student-run agency — if you start early, by the time you’re a senior, you’ll have a diverse network and hopefully a plethora of experience. Use our resources to your advantage and build your connections — both peers and professionals alike. Who knows? You might find a mentor or some of your closest friends here.
Also know that even if you don’t have internship experiences, showing that you are active on-campus is something great to talk about in interviews. Get involved or run for leadership positions — it will really help you. At the end of the day, it’s about what you can bring to an internship or a job. I’ve learned how to do media monitoring at an internship, but I would’ve never been able to say I’ve planned an entire conference if it weren’t for BUPRSSA.”
To sum it up: Start early, utilize your network, talk to people, be proactive, and don’t be shy.
Angelina wishes to start her career in New York and hopes to be able to merge her passions and ambitions just as she did here, with BUPRSSA and BU Broadway. Thank you, Angelina, for all you have done for this chapter!
Edited by Grace Elizabeth Liu