Harb ’15 praises Marlo Marketing internship

Marketing Communication major Ameara Harb ’15 says her internship this semester at Marlo Marketing Communications in Boston was a great opportunity for enthusiastic, detail-oriented college students with a strong desire to learn.

Originally from Wilbraham, Massachusetts, Harb has always been interested in marketing and public relations as a potential career, and has taken a broad range of classes on the subjects.

“I really fell in love with the public relations industry though my internship,” she said, adding that she hopes to pursue a career in public relations in Boston after graduation.

Describe your job responsibilities and talk about something interesting that you’re working on.

‪The best part about working in public relations, especially in an agency setting, is that there is no “typical day” and you’re constantly working on a variety of things for a bunch of different clients. My daily tasks at Marlo would range from clipping client placements and creating media lists to conducting market research, scouring editorial calendars, and helping put together mailers. This past week I was asked to help out at a photo shoot for Food and Wine magazine, which was really fun! It’s a really close-knit team at Marlo, which makes for a great working environment.

‪How has Emerson prepared you?

‪Emerson’s professors are very proactive and are extremely willing to help students find their niche within the industry. The classes also offer us opportunity to challenge ourselves and to try our hand at new things…and figure out what parts we like and don’t like. I’m taking the Design and Layout class next semester because I really want to push myself to learn more about the creative side of things before moving into the real world. Emerson’s curriculum allows me to test the waters as well as the opportunity to learn from the best.

Do you have advice for students interested in marketing?

‪Be really eager to learn and get as much hands-on experience as possible. Emerson does a great job of giving us a strong background in the classroom, but nothing beats actual experience working in an agency alongside seasoned professionals. 

What are some activities that you were/are involved in on campus?

‪I worked with EmComm, em Mag, the EVVYs, and Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) while I was living on campus. I also was a part of Her Campus Emerson’s marketing staff, until I was promoted to campus correspondent, which essentially means that I am co-editor in chief of the website. I interned at Her Campus’s national office my freshman year, so getting involved with Emerson’s branch was an obvious choice. It’s been so much fun!

Who were some of your biggest influencers?

‪My parents are huge influencers in my life. They are so supportive, especially when it comes to my education and career goals. Career-wise, interning with the Marlo team has really influenced my decision in wanting to stick with public relations. I’ve been able to learn so much from them and really value their advice and mentoring both personally and professionally.