Loyola’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted James Fox, event partnership marketing coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles, on Tuesday, Feb. 19. PRSSA is a club for students of all majors that are interested in public relations and who are looking to make connections with professionals in this field.

Fox is a Baltimore native and Loyola alumnus who once interned with The Baltimore Sun and the Baltimore Orioles before landing a full-time job with the latter. Although he has found great fortune in his career today, it took him two years of working seasonal jobs before he got to that pivotal point of success.

His advice to students is “to be patient. It is going to take time to get the job you want.” He also encourages students to make connections with other departments at their internships.

The Career Center at Loyola helped Fox find his current position. Two years after graduation, he went to the center, and they helped him connect with the vice president of corporate partnership of the Orioles, who was also teaching at Loyola. This connection ultimately opened the door for him to get the job.

Loyola’s Career Center is a great resource on campus for students who need help with their resumes, making connections, or practicing with some mock interviews. The Career Center is a valuable resource and is open to students even after they have graduated. In Fox’s case, going to the Career Center two years after he graduated helped him immensely.

After Fox gave us some background about his life after graduation, he turned it over to the students to answer any questions they had. The students asked him multiple questions that specifically had to do with his job hunting experience, the different jobs he has had, and his challenges.

One student asked him what advice he would give himself if he knew what he knew now, in which he responded that he would tell himself to “keep your nose to the grindstone.” In the end, he was able to grow as a person and was rewarded with a job that he wanted.

PRSSA works hard to ensure that these connections between Loyola and the larger Baltimore community are established even before students graduate from the Evergreen campus.

“PRSSA acts as a mock PR firm,” the Vice President of PRSSA Marissa Ganley ‘19 said. “We work with nonprofits to raise awareness about them and us. It is a great professional connection.”

When asked for the reason she wanted to join PRSSA, Danielle Como ‘21 said that it was because she loved talking to professionals or alumni about their experiences, which then gives her more confidence since they were recently in her shoes.

Anyone can join Loyola’s chapter of PRSSA. They host events, fundraisers, and professionals that allow students to network easier and in a more intimate setting. Be on the lookout for their internship panel in March.

Featured Image: Courtesy of Greyhound News