Sheilagh Newland, a 2022 graduate of our Public Relations – Corporate Communications (CCPR) program, is currently in Ghana as an International Communications Fellow. This three-month opportunity is offered through Youth Challenge International’s HerStart program, which focuses on advancing gender equality for young women in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda through skill-building, as well as by providing funding.
Having known about the organization for years prior, it wasn’t until this year that Sheilagh says she noticed this specific program and found that the fellowship description aligned perfectly with her educational background and career goals.
“For the application process, I had to write a few personal statements related to my skills, weaknesses, and why I was interested in the program – these are all areas we covered in our professional skills and practice course. I also had to include my resume and two samples of my writing, both of which I took from work I produced during the program. The next step was an interview, which, once again, I was prepared for through the professional skills and practice course. Once I accepted my fellowship, I had to commit to fundraising CAN $2,500, which goes directly to supporting the female entrepreneurs,” she explains.
As a communications fellow, Sheilagh has been involved in various tasks, which she explains have kept her on her toes. From writing guest speaker notes for events to capturing photos and videos, conducting interviews, writing blog posts, and more, Sheilagh is continuously building on her experience and skills in this industry.
She shares, “Working with Youth Challenge International has been an amazing experience, allowing me to combine my two degrees into something meaningful. I am working as part of the YCI HerStart communications team and a local organization’s communications team. I have learned a lot about how communications strategies in different cultural contexts can be similar and different!”
Before arriving at Centennial, Sheilagh received an undergraduate degree in global development from Queen’s University. However, it was when she completed her degree that she realized she needed something more that could help push her toward starting her career.
“Centennial stood out to me for many reasons. When looking at the program online, it was clear that the classes offered would help develop my skills no matter what field of work I went into. Further, the courses were all designed with the intention of gaining real-life experience- whether it be an event, campaign or mimicking a likely scenario, such as timed writing assignments, designing reports or hosting a news conference,” she explains.
Reflecting on the program, Sheilagh says the ability to collaborate with her classmates and create work that she is proud of were some of the best parts. She adds that the event and project management course, where Sheilagh and her classmates were able to hold a virtual walking tour for incoming students, to the Storyworks course, where they planned and executed a four-week social media campaign for FINCA Canada’s International Women’s Day campaign, are just some of the top experiences that she was truly proud of within the program.
“It was evident that the program truly prepared us for our future careers when five of my classmates and I decided to sign-up for Craft-PR’s 24-hour hackathon. We were up against five other teams from schools across Canada. We were given 24 hours to create a campaign for the client First Book Canada and present it to them. Through the knowledge and skills which Centennial College’s CCPR course provided us, we were able to create an award-winning campaign. This was the moment where everything we had learned came together,” she shares.
As for the key lessons from the program that stands out to her, Sheilagh says, “I cannot even begin to explain the amount of knowledge I received from this program. Looking back at work I produced in the first week of the program to my final assignments, I barely recognize my writing.
If I had to break it down into three key lessons, it would be the following:
- Think about the small details: the difference between something being ‘good’ versus ‘great’ is often not that huge. It is, more often than not, the little things which push it ahead.
- Teamwork and listening: Many of our assignments were done in groups during the program. This was a learning curve coming from university, where most assignments were done on my own. However, I quickly realized the strength of teamwork as everyone brings unique skills and ideas.
- Trust: building trust is the backbone of communications and working as a team in general. Honesty and trust should always be key in all communications strategies.”
She adds, “I am grateful for the learning opportunities and resources Centennial’s CCPR program and my teachers provided me during my studies.”
Congratulations, Sheilagh, on an exciting fellowship opportunity, and we wish you continued success as you further your career in this industry.
Article by: Alexandra Few
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