Morgan Galbraith, ’14: From Intern to Career at a Global PR Firm

For Morgan Galbraith, Class of 2014, an internship led straight to a career with a top international PR firm. In June 2014, she joined FleishmanHillard’s Internal Communications practice group as Assistant Account Executive. Based in St. Louis and founded in 1946, FleishmannHillard’s worldwide revenue tops more than $500 million.

During her college career, she first interned at Enterprise Holdings as a part of the Corporate Communications team where she wrote and edited press releases and was involved with various media projects. From mid-January to May 2014, Galbraith interned in FleishmanHillard’s Corporate Issues practice group and gained more experience with media and communications. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business communication and business administration from Westminster, she landed her full-time role as Assistant Account Executive at FleishmanHillard,

Here, she tells us her story about earning her career and how her Westminster education helped prepare her for her job.

Why did you pursue an internship with FleishmanHillard?
I pursued an internship with FleishmanHillard because I believe working for an agency gives you the opportunity to work on a variety of clients and projects while getting to encounter all aspects of the industry. And since FleishmanHillard is well-known in the communications world, I knew I would constantly be surrounded by some of the smartest professionals in the field I wanted to go into. What better place to learn during an internship than from some of the best?

How did you get your job?
I got the internship with FleishmanHillard by applying and going through their interview process. The internship lasted around four months and I was hired full-time when my internship ended.

What are you doing through your job?
Day to day, my responsibilities vary; I would say most of what I do involves writing in some form. In a single day I can be working on writing a press release, reaching out to media or assisting with re-branding efforts – it depends on what the company’s need is at that time. Currently, I support a variety of clients, including AT&T, Abbott Diagnostics, Monsanto and Energizer.

What are you learning?
I think a better question is what am I not learning? Every day it’s something new, and I love being surrounded by people who are constantly willing to learn from each other and grow as a team. One of the best aspects of being at an agency is that you get to work on a lot of different types of projects, many of which you may not have encountered before.

What is FleishmanHillard like?
All together, FleishmanHillard takes up several floors in a downtown St. Louis office space. FleishmanHillard is also headquartered in St. Louis but has over 80 offices worldwide. My department, Internal Communications is just one group in our St. Louis office out of several, and there are probably a little over 20 people. The work is very fast paced – but exciting and fun as well!

What’s the most challenging thing about the job?
Since the work is fast paced, you need to be able to manage your time to meet strict deadlines and tight turnarounds.

What’s the best thing?
The best part about my job is knowing that every day is going to be different, whether it’s the types of projects I’m working on or getting to work with new clients. I also enjoy the fast-paced atmosphere of an agency because it can be very exciting and you never know what you’ll be working on next.

Do you see ways in which Westminster prepared you for the experience?
Westminster definitely prepared me for my internship and now full-time position. I think in college I was given a lot of opportunities to become a leader, which developed my professional and interpersonal skills. Additionally, I think the amount of writing I had to do during college and the high expectations greatly prepared me for the career path I chose.

About FleishmanHillard Internships

FleishmanHillard offers three internship terms: spring, summer and fall. Galbraith recommends reviewing their website early if you are considering an internship so you can have your application and materials ready by the due dates. 

“FleishmanHillard’s internship program seeks out highly motivated young professionals that are looking for a challenging opportunity to jump-start their career. Our interns assist some of the world’s biggest brands and organizations on real campaigns, and have the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s most-skilled professionals. Therefore, they must have a keen eye for detail, possess excellent writing skills and be willing to not just meet expectations, but exceed them. Our hope is that each intern has a rewarding and hands-on experience that prepares them for a successful career.” – Terry Hoffmann, Senior Vice President, FleishmanHillard