Building a PR Foundation: My Summer at 10to1PR
By Romi Blackstone, 10to1PR PR Intern, Summer 2025
My name is Romi Blackstone, and this summer I had the incredible opportunity to serve as an intern at 10to1PR!
I’m currently a Strategic and Corporate Communication major with a minor in Public Relations at Chapman University. My internship at 10to1PR allowed me to apply the skills and knowledge I’ve gained in the classroom to real-world situations, while also learning new tools that have prepared me for a future career in PR.
From the very beginning, I was introduced to Smart Brevity—a writing style that emphasizes clarity, brevity, and impact. I used this approach in press releases, pitches, and a variety of other client communications. I also received hands-on training in Muck Rack, where I learned how to effectively monitor media coverage, identify relevant journalists, and craft targeted pitches. These foundational tools shaped the rest of my experience at 10to1PR.
After onboarding, I was placed on three different client accounts, each in a unique industry. One that stood out the most to me was the Arizona Builders Alliance, a leading trade association for contractors in Arizona. Each year, they host a backpack drive to collect donations and distribute school supplies to underprivileged children. Under the guidance of the client lead and the rest of the 10to1PR team, I had the opportunity to write media pitches for the backpack distribution, tailoring each one to specific outlets and audiences. Additionally, I created media lists to distribute the pitches to education and nonprofit journalists. It was incredibly rewarding to help promote a meaningful cause while learning how to craft compelling, audience-specific angles. The backpack distribution was the first PR event I have been to, and I enjoyed seeing all of the team’s hard work come together! At the distribution, I collected photos and videos to send out post-event. The Phoenix Independent and Construction Citizen picked up the story and even included one of the pictures I took! Lastly, I had a hand in writing the post-event press release. Writing the post-event press release helped me recognize the impact our PR efforts had on the success of the backpack drive. It also showed me how our work contributed to the overall growth and visibility of the ABA and the impact the organization has on the local community.
Another project I took on was filming, editing, and publishing a video for the 10to1PR Instagram account. I was eager to gain more experience in social media and had a few ideas for how 10to1PR could continue building its online presence. I created an interview-style video featuring team members for the 10to1PR Instagram. This was a great learning experience, as it was the first time both the team and I explored this style of content. In the future, I would only edit the video on one social platform, versus the three editing apps I used. I would try to make the video less formal, and more fun. I walked away with valuable insights that I’ll carry with me when creating social media content going forward.
10toPR consistently provided both me and the other intern with opportunities to strengthen our PR knowledge and skills. We attended weekly PRSA webinars, as well as team meetings called “Lunch and Learns,” where we explored a wide range of topics—from writing effective pitches and connecting with journalists to navigating crisis communication. A “Lunch and Learn” that most stands out is “How to reuse content” where we talked about how we can use the same information in different ways. I learned how to effectively reuse content in social media posts, byline articles, Q&A’s and press releases. Throughout the internship, we were always encouraged to share ideas, ask questions, and actively participate in discussions.
Overall I am so thankful for all of the support and guidance from my manager, Rachael Clifford, as well as the rest of the 10toPR Team! As I go into my last two years at college, I will start to apply the tools I learned at 10to1PR, such as smart brevity, to all communication efforts in the classroom, and out of the classroom. I now have the tools to understand a journalist’s and/or clients perspective when working on projects at school and/or at work. My goal after graduating is to work at a big PR firm, in either Chicago or New York. I want to continue exploring various sectors in PR, such as B2C. My experience at 10to1PR was invaluable and has helped shape the rest of my career.