Dassie Rice, Enjoying the golden opportunity to enhance skills

09/07/2010 12:57 PM

Dassie Rice ’11, public relations

Ahh, it is smack dab in the middle of the lazy days of summer”_ well, I guess they’re not so lazy for everyone. As soon as school ended, I hit the ground running (on the red carpet, of course) with an internship with BrandLink Communications in Los Angeles, California. The boutique PR firm is a full service agency offering services to a variety of clients in the entertainment industry. We handle fashion, event coordination, talent/celebrity representation, and product/services representation. Some of the major clients include, Diesel clothing, Lia Sophia jewelry, the W Hollywood hotel, and Pop Chips snacks.

Our most recent event was a private party for our client, Lia Sophia, to introduce the new Lanaya II collection to stylists, celebrities, and media. Taking place in the Sunset Hotel Terrace Room, we had an amazing turn out of jewelry enthusiasts who left with smiles on their faces and sample bags in their hands. Putting on an event for 200 A-list people is not easy. The process of planning, scheduling, contacting, and announcing started well before I arrived.

On the day of the event, the office was bustling with activity and excitement. Flowers and candles here, guest and check lists over there, tables and decorations lay in the middle of the conference room floor, and of course jewelry acted as accents for the rest of any unoccupied space. Soon we began the move to our venue to set up and work the magic for our client. What a transformation. The room sparkled with designer jewels and celebrity smiles.

I spent most of the evening running from our gifting room to the show room floor, helping our fashion department bag gifts and take information. It was constant activity and it gave us a chance to bond and get to know one another a little better. It’s a big city and having friends around can really make the difference in how you enjoy the summer in an unfamiliar area. After the event I was worn out, my head hit the pillow before the sheep could even begin to jump. As exhausting as the whole day was, our event was a success and I had been a part of making that success possible.

On a regular workday we are kept busy with several industry chores. Sitting with the other interns, we are constantly inputting information into our resource databases, checking and updating contact lists, and packaging promotional gifts for our clients.

The experience I am receiving through this internship has been priceless. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to pursue this golden opportunity to enhance and develop my skills in the area of my study. Some things they just can’t teach you in a lecture hall ” especially on how to handle people in real world situations. Not everything has a textbook answer and to get the most out of your education you have to think outside the classroom.