'Making the Leap' and the Importance of PR Education

Mary Elin Arch was laid off from The Richmond Times-Dispatch and decided to become a publicist. Sounds like the path taken by many journalists. However, the New York Times took a closer look at Arch’s journey to “the other side” and shows how a stop at Virginia Commonwealth University helped her reach her destination.

According to the story, now that PR has that oft-discussed “seat at the table,” those at the higher levels of the profession need knowledge of business as well as communications.

“To avoid being limited to pitching stories about clients or writing the company newsletter, a public relations employee needs to understand business, finance, marketing, strategic planning and research — the language of corporate America and the company boardroom, where the P.R.