URI public relations student Caitlin Musselman of New Hope honored for outstanding achievement

2016 Apr 28

The University of Rhode Island's Public Relations Department, a part of the Harrington School of Communication and Media, presented awards to eight students during recent ceremonies on the Kingston campus. The awards are presented to students who "capture the essence of achievement.''

Caitlin Musselman of New Hope, Pa., received the PR Award for Outstanding Internship Experience.

For about three years, Musselman has been an intern in URI's Marketing and Communications Department. Her primary responsibilities include writing press releases, media advisories and feature stories about campus activities and events, faculty research and student achievements. Among her most notable accomplishments was a feature story about Dennis Hilliard, director of the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory at URI, and a story about campus sexual violence prevention that led to a piece on a local television news and analysis show. Musselman's strong performance led the department to offer her a paid writing intern position. Musselman also landed an internship in Washington, D.C. with Tricom Associates under the supervision of the president of the company. "This experience was more than I could have expected and allowed me the freedom to develop and maintain individual accounts as a professional member of the team," said Musselman.

The Harrington School encourages students to make a difference in global and local communities. "Our school's mission is to work together to use the power of communication and information to make a difference in the world,'' said Adam Roth, interim director of the Harrington School. "I applaud the achievements of our students and faculty who are fulfilling this mission every day.''

Kelly Harris, URI class of 2013, who now works in Gov. Gina Raimondo's office as the event manager, was the event's honorary chair and keynote speaker. Harris offered the award recipients and guests tips on how to prepare for their careers.