With Alpha PRoductions’ fall semester coming to a close, new and returning members have faced opportunities to grow as communicators. Alpha PRoductions works to provide all College of Journalism and Communications (CJC) students with industry experience by working for real-world clients to prepare for post-graduation endeavors. This professional development opportunity gives members diverse skill sets to take their first steps in communications. With this in mind, Alpha asked members how being a part of Alpha PRoductions assisted them in obtaining other opportunities outside of the CJC and UF.
Anna Ferko (Managing Director)
Managing Director, Anna Ferko, believes one of the most important skills Alpha taught her was creating and maintaining client relations. As Managing Director, Anna welcomed back returning clients to Alpha PRoductions such as the UF Public Relations Department and MotoMeds Heathline. Anna’s previous position as an account executive in Alpha allowed her to practice writing and communicating her thoughts concisely and purposefully — an ability that in combination with other skills is rather helpful when applying to internship positions and now future job opportunities. Outside of personal development, Anna passes on these acquired skills by mentoring other Alpha members during social workshops.
“Mastering these skills has allowed me to become an effective leader,” Ferko said. “This is something I talk about in every interview I do and in every cover letter I write.”
Chloe Dougherty (Director of Communications)
Alpha’s Director of Communications reaped the benefits of this organization’s collaborative atmosphere. Dougherty received a social media marketing internship with Oceanic Global by applying her skills learned in Alpha. She expanded upon her existing knowledge of creating content calendars and crafting captivating social media posts on multiple platforms. The skills she learned from leading the in-house team in the 2020 to 2021 school year allowed Dougherty to speak about her valuable experiences during her interview. Dougherty worked to create targeted content fit for Alpha’s audience, which was a skillset she looked forward to implementing in her Oceanic Global internship. Her ability to lead others, including the in-house team, gave Dougherty an advantage when talking about her array of experiences. Chloe created a 30-day strategy for Twitter and Facebook, focused on community engagement, and even conducted reliable research for Climate Month. These responsibilities could not have been fulfilled without the opportunities she had to master content creating through Alpha PRoductions.
“I don’t think I would have gotten this internship or other opportunities without the experience from Alpha,” Dougherty said. “I was able to apply what I learned in Alpha to the internship and vice versa.”
Lindsey Hoskins (In-House Supervisor)
Hoskins landed an internship with PRESS PR + Marketing in Tampa, Florida, after working as an account executive for Alpha PRoductions. During her time on the Weimer Abroad and Mascot Factory teams, Hoskins learned the value of organization and professionalism. Time on these teams taught Hoskins how to interact with communication academics and industry professionals while efficiently achieving goals. Additionally, Alpha taught Hoskins how to reach out to micro influencers before obtaining her internship during the Summer 2021 semester. Some of Hoskins’ roles in her internship included creating content calendars, writing news releases, pitching to the media, conducting influencer research and forming media lists.
“Working as a member on different Alpha teams allowed me to be more versatile when applying to internships,” Hoskins said. “I am looking forward to applying skills learned in my current role on my next internship search.”
Students in the CJC have a strong foundation of what being an effective communicator entails because of the amazing professors, advisors, and opportunities in the college. Alpha PRoductions is just one more opportunity for students to learn, strengthen, and apply the skills they need for future jobs or internships.