IHPR Senior Manager Kaitlyn Holohan (’17) describes how she found her professional path and offers her most valuable lessons from the world of public relations.

Class of 2017 alumna Kaitlyn Holohan didn’t have a profession in mind when she started at UD.

“As a freshman, I had no idea what career path I wanted to take,” says Holohan. “I knew that I wanted to learn into one of my strengths—writing—and pursue a trajectory that would allow me to be creative and work closely with others. A major in communications ticked a lot of boxes and provided a diverse range of career opportunities to explore.”

The Franklin Lakes, NJ native studied interpersonal communications and took on an advertising minor, as well as serving as the Director of Advertising for UD’s fashion magazine UDress during her senior year. She credits courses like Intro to Public Relations and Communication Principles in Advertising for piquing her interest in media. “The classes were a bit smaller and we worked on immersive projects that mimicked a real-life setting, doing research, developing marketing campaigns and even presenting to local businesses,” says Holohan.

But it was an internship that truly solidified her career goals. “The most valuable asset of all was interning at my first PR agency,” she says. “This helped me not only learn more about media relations and the skills that you need to succeed but led to invaluable connections that I still have today.”

Now she works in New York City as a senior manager at IHPR, a creative communications and marketing agency. Holohan works with clients across the fashion and lifestyle divisions, telling client stories and showcasing the products or services that they have to offer across different verticals.

“Whether you’re flipping through your favorite print magazine, browsing digital gift guides or tuning into your favorite podcast, the goal is for you to cross paths with our brands at every touch point,” she says. “When it comes to our relationships with clients, we like to think of ourselves as an extension of their in-house teams, which is one of my favorite parts of the job. We are super involved in the creative and strategizing processes that ultimately make the initiative a success from a press perspective.”

Holohan says the most rewarding aspect of public relations is making connections. “From co-workers to clients, the relationships I’ve developed over the years have had a tremendous impact on my growth, both personally and professionally,” she says. “Never underestimate the power that one connection could hold. Whether it’s a fellow intern, supervisor or client, the relationships you build in PR will come back around in ways you could have never imagined. The smallest introductions can open the most amazing doors down the line.”

But that doesn’t mean her job doesn’t come without challenges. Holohan observes that the field requires a lot of flexibility and extra effort. “The media industry is on the move 24/7 and evolving really rapidly,” she says. “You have to be nimble, passionate and 100-percent dedicated, as well as have a strong pulse on what is going on in the news cycle around the world.”

The biggest lesson Holohan has learned from her career path is to appreciate and acknowledge success. “It’s not selfish to take a moment to celebrate your wins. When you’re working in such a fast-paced environment, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day and lose sight of what’s in front of you,” she says. “Sometimes I’m moving so fast that I forget to take a step back and recognize all of the steps that my team and I had to take to achieve our accomplishments. This industry requires a lot of hustle; it’s important to celebrate yourself and realize that your hard work has paid off.”

Holohan’s advice for students interested in public relations and communications is to gain professional experience. “Try to take on as many internships as possible! Real life experiences are invaluable,” she says. “Each opportunity will lead you to lessons that you’ll carry with you for your entire career. The more that you intern, the more opportunities that you have to network and I can’t stress enough how important that is within the realm of communications.”