An Intern’s Perspective on Event Planning

We recently helped Primary Care Clinic of North Texas (PCCNT) plan a ribbon-cutting event to commemorate their 100,000th patient visit, 13th anniversary and move to a new location in Plano. PCCNT is a non-profit healthcare facility that provides a medical home to thousands of uninsured North Texans.

We hit the ground running planning for this event. Most people see the glitz and glam of event planning, but it sure is not all it's made out to be, especially in the world of public relations. Planning an event does not only mean the composing guest lists and party hors d'oeuvres; for public relations practitioners, planning an event also means researching media, writing and distributing media alerts and press releases, inviting public figures, planning a run-of-show and so much more. Needless to say it can be a long process. After a little more than two months of planning for the hour-long event, everything came together, and we were ready for the day to come.

As an intern, it was a great experience to not only see an event planned from beginning to end, but to be involved in the process every step of the way. I learned how hard it is to plan an event with so many moving parts and how the work continues even after the event is done. I learned so much from this experience, and working on a project for such a great organization for the community is something I will always remember!

PCCNT's priority is to give back to the community by providing affordable medical services to the uninsured. Through corporate donors like Capital One, this is possible. I really enjoyed planning this event for such a great cause. 

Check out this story from Plano Profile about the event: https://planoprofile.com/2016/08/16/primary-care-clinic-of-north-texas-moves-to-new-location/

This post was contributed by Elizabeth LaMonte, C. Pharr Intern.

An Intern’s Perspective on Event Planning

Now Hiring | Paid Fall 2016 Internship

C. Pharr & Company is seeking a dynamic intern for fall 2016 to assist with a variety of accounts ranging from real estate and construction services, to education and corporate social responsibility. Sophomore and junior-level students studying journalism, public relations or communications are encouraged to apply.

Candidate must be a detail-oriented, resourceful self-starter with an understanding of media relations and AP style. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.

Internship responsibilities include:

• Drafting and distributing media materials including pitches, media alerts, news releases, backgrounders, fact sheets and media briefing materials for clients
• Creating/updating media lists
• Tracking media coverage and updating clip logs
• Gathering and organizing editorial calendars
• Reviewing newspapers/industry publications for client mentions
• Assisting with the development and execution of plans, events and activities that support client communication goals and objectives
• Researching clients, client competitors or other subjects requested by team
• Assisting with social media planning and account maintenance for clients
• Drafting posts for CPC blog and social handles
• Attending occasional PR industry events and participating in seminars, webinars and other professional training
• Working within a client-focused team setting, interacting with all disciplines to get real-world experience and understanding of the collaborative nature of the agency environment

The internship typically runs Mid-September through early December. Hours are flexible based on class schedule.

If interested, please send a cover letter, resume and writing samples to Katie@PharrPR.com.

Now Hiring | Paid Fall 2016 Internship