Hello, RepBlog! While Fall marks the bittersweet end to my time as ReputationUs’s Summer Reputation Intern, I am filled with immense gratitude for the many lessons learned, hands-on experiences gained, and laughs shared. I could rave about my summer at RepUs for pages on end, but to what I’m sure is many readers’ dismay, I have condensed my reflections into a short collection of my favorite experiences and epiphanies.

Experiences & Epiphanies

Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” My time at ReputationUs could not have been more indicative of the latter.

I approached this summer eager to apply my first year of Public Relations education toward real clients, initiatives, and research. Casey Boggs, ReputationUS President and my mentor this summer, met this excitement and took it a step further. The result: real-world experiences I could have never expected.

In only three short months, my work at ReputationUs covered every aspect of PR, including but not limited to: research, brainstorming, campaign planning, and even graphic design. This interdisciplinary work was made possible by the wide range of clients with which I collaborated, from police departments to a drug and alcohol use treatment facility to my most hands-on client, Vision Interventions and Parental Support (VIPS). Each day brought something new. Some were spent down newspaper rabbit holes as I constructed media lists for clients’ upcoming media tours. Others were spent at the meeting table with clients — presenting our progress, bouncing ideas, and always improving our strategies.

The diversity in these involvements aligns perfectly with Franklin’s quote above, and the knowledge I have gained because of them is truly invaluable. Moving forward, I have both a deepened understanding of the PR industry and how I will find my place within it.

Industry Findings

While a classroom education is important, the PR immersion I was lucky to experience this summer completely transformed my appreciation for the career. Perhaps the most unique part of this learning occurred within ReputationUs’s ReputationU, a reputation management and crisis response certification program. I was granted access to this training series at the beginning of the summer, and before I knew it, I became a certified Reputation Protector. My biggest takeaway was the nuanced interdependence between reputation enhancement and protection. I quickly learned that prioritizing preparation, whether it’s for small loopholes or major crises, is the key to being a successful PR professional.

Another one of my biggest epiphanies was sparked by our work with VIPS, the client of ReputationUs’s 2025 Nonprofit Reputation Accelerator. In this program, ReputationUs works with VIPS for 6 months to strengthen their reputation by conducting a reputation assessment, creating a reputation enhancement plan, and providing enhancement support. Throughout each phase, I experienced PR at the largest and most minute scales. During the assessment, we were thinking at a 30,000-foot view — analyzing all of VIPS’s marketing materials and situating them against VIPS’s broader goals and needs. However, by the time I left, we were deep into the enhancement plan, planning VIPS’s future steps word by word. Funny enough, my last day was spent at VIPS Message Unity Training, debating messaging materials down to each word!

I now understand that these practices at VIPS, from thinking big to looking small, indicate the nature of PR. I am excited to enter a field where one meeting may cover large-scale, strategic debates while the next could break down the company’s tagline in search of the perfect phrasing. This balance is truly the beauty of PR.

Personal Findings

I have always identified as a writer. From bill writing in middle school, to Speech and Debate in high school, to now, working as editor of my college’s magazine, my passion for writing seeps into every aspect of my life. Therefore, entering PR felt like a “no-brainer” because of its emphasis on my most cherished skill. However, this summer has opened my eyes to the many characteristics of the field and myself that make us an even more compatible fit.

To articulate this perfect pairing, I turn once again to my time with VIPS. My collaboration with Casey on the reputation assessment began with what would become my home base for the next couple of weeks: a Dropbox filled with every marketing material, flyer, and brochure that VIPS had to offer. I will never forget the night that I received it. I stayed up until 2 a.m., not because I had to, but because I couldn’t stop thinking. By the end of the night, my notebook resembled that of a mad scientist — with concepts circled in yellow and arrows going every direction. Each new document brought a wave of new connections and potential ideas, and just like that, new passions formed.

I realized that despite my constant draw toward writing and creativity, I had an untapped curiosity for research and strategy. I spent the remainder of the summer exploring these newfound interests, researching everything from social media metrics to emergency crisis plans.

Soon enough, new passions bridged with old ones as I began a 3-part series for the RepBlog: “3 PR Changes: The RepUs Top Three Changes Affecting the Public Relations Profession.” I immersed myself in all things PR to summarize experts’ predictions for the industry. Then, I spent my last weeks covering these rising trends by writing articles on authenticity, influencer marketing, and Artificial Intelligence.

This unique balance of writing, behind-the-scenes research, and hands-on work with clients made my internship at ReputationUs nothing short of remarkable. A massive thank you to Casey Boggs for his constant support and encouragement throughout the entire summer, from answering my every question to offering presentation opportunities to our weekly check-in meetings (which were most often filled with more laughs than work!). My time at ReputationUs was met with the warmest welcome and now ends with the most difficult goodbye. Here is to a summer to remember, lessons to last a lifetime, and infinite memories to cherish. Thank you, ReputationUs, and goodbye, RepBlog!