Diary of a PR Intern: The Depth of Being a Teacher’s Assistant

By: Gabby Nicotra

 

My name is Gabriela (Gabby) Nicotra and I am a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in public relations. I previously served as Vice President on the FPRA Student Chapter board at FGCU. Prior to serving on the board, I had not had any internships. However, while I was on the board, I was also a teacher’s assistant (TA) which actually counted towards internship credits for two public relations courses; one being public relations writing and the other intro to public relations. As I have previously taken these courses, my professor picked me to be her teacher’s assistant based on my writing and editing skills. She also told me I wrote some of the best press releases in her class which surprised me, but also made me feel great.

While I was a teacher’s assistant, I would take attendance, help the students with any questions they may have had, graded homework, and much more. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to be a teacher’s assistant, because not only did it give me a chance to re-learn everything I previously had about PR writing and the basics of PR, but it also gave me the opportunity to teach others about what I already knew while gaining an even stronger grasp and insight on public relations. Furthermore, not many students get the opportunity to be a teacher’s assistant, so I felt very thankful that I was one of them.

I believe that by being a teacher’s assistant, I am now even more confident in my writing and editing skills. I am also always up for challenges and learning new things. My AP style book has become almost like a bible to me. At first, I used to be scared about writing press releases and didn’t have the confidence in myself that I do now. I wasn’t sure if I had the capability of producing what was expected of me, or even being able to fulfill my life-long dream of one day working in the public relations field as a publicist. However, I can now say that has all changed, as I have been able to teach others about my experiences and how they should not give up either. Overall, I feel so grateful for all that I have learned so far throughout my few years in college, and am ready to use my skills and take on the real world!