Newest Seward Scholar has Passion for PR

This fall, Fisher’s Department of Media and Communication selected Alyssa Whitley ’19 as the recipient of the James E. Seward Scholarship. Carrying a $1,000 award, the scholarship honors Jim Seward and his 41 years of college teaching, 29 of which were spent at Fisher. The scholarship was established by former students, friends, and colleagues within the department when he retired in 2011.

The scholarship is open to a full-time junior or senior with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applicants were asked to submit a cover letter, writing samples, and a portfolio of work.

A transfer student, Whitley holds an associate of science degree with honors in public relations from Monroe Community College. At Fisher, she majors in media management, and as an aspiring public relations professional, has dove head first into learning as much about the field as possible.

On campus, she serves as president of the College’s Tom Proietti Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). In this leadership role, she helped organize a trip for six students to Austin, Texas, to attend the organization’s national conference. In November, she was on the winning team of PRSA Rochester’s PR Apprentice program, and last spring, served on the College’s Bateman Case Study Competition team, earning an honorable mention.  As an executive board member and director of public relations and marketing for Fisher’s student-run full-service marketing, public relations, and advertising firm, The PRIMA Group, Whitley helps the account team create and distribute press materials for the agency’s clients. She also helps promote PRIMA’s Meet the Media, Social Media Week, and Lead like a Girl programs.

She has engaged in several internship experiences, including three months with Helen & Gertrude, where she worked on the company’s internal marketing initiatives and helped manage its social media accounts. This fall, she serves as a public relations intern with Dixon Schwabl, assisting the agency’s team with research, media lists, and influencer opportunities. She also worked on a team of interns to create an integrated marketing campaign for Literacy Volunteers of Rochester.