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Kristyn Hibbett, Public Relations

Internship: adidas

Through her internship with adidas in Portland, public relations student Kristyn Hibbett, ’22, has learned the importance of storytelling and brand partnerships. Kristyn says her public relations coursework prepared her to conduct research and successfully work on a variety of campaigns for the shoe and athletic-wear company.

Courses such as Media, Power and Culture, Public Relations Tactics and Principles of Public Relations prepared her the most for this internship and allowed her to contribute to professional conversations.

“I feel like with the combination of these classes I was the most prepared as an intern within my department," Kristyn says. "I knew what they were talking about and was able to contribute to the conversation.”

Kristyn is working at adidas as their BeyGood Newsroom Public Relations Intern. Her everyday tasks include attending meetings, working on tasks for different campaigns and working on her summer intern project — where she works with other interns to brainstorm ideas that can improve the adidas Originals brand, which focuses on lifestyle and heritage products. While working on campaigns, she is researching and reaching out to different media editors and content creators that would best suit the campaign. She also creates a weekly media landscape that provides the most important news of the week and how it can impact the brand.

Aside from what she is working on at her internship, the brand has also given her weekly opportunities to learn from working professionals and expand her network.

“About twice a week I have ‘coffee chats’ with people who work in different departments to learn more about what they do and build my network … I have had the opportunity to connect with so many people in different departments that it has opened my eyes to more than just PR. I’ve connected with people in culture marketing, sports marketing, storytelling within multiple departments and many more.”

Prior to this internship Kristyn was primarily interested in learning about public relations in sports, but now she is interested in working with clothing and lifestyle brands as well.

Advice for future interns: 

“When it comes to networking at your internship, do not be afraid to put yourself out there. They chose you for this position for a reason so that means they saw something in you. It’s important to remember that you are qualified for the position, but at the same time, you’re there to learn something new. When working at a company, stay curious. Never be afraid to ask questions and show true interest in the company.”  

All students in the School of Media and Journalism are required to complete an internship. Read about more student experiences here.