Building a PR Foundation: My Summer at 10to1PR

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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.

The Road Into Public Relations and the Path Ahead

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By Maggie Monroe, 10to1PR PR Intern, Summer 2025

As a summer intern at 10to1PR, this role expanded my understanding of the public relations field and provided guidance for my professional career as a public relations pro. 10to1PR offered countless hands-on experiences, I’ve been able to gain relevant technical skills and build upon my learning. While my academic courses set the basis for what to know about public relations,  my time at 10to1PR provided me with firsthand industry experiences.

During my Junior year at Northern Arizona University, I was motivated to do additional coursework, such as drafting press releases and pitching. This drive to gain more practice led me to apply for the internship at 10to1PR. During the first few weeks of onboarding, I knew that my duration here would enrich my need to learn more about this industry through drafting pitches, performing media monitoring, and supporting client teams. 

Starting at 10to1PR, I was assigned to various teams and helped with supporting their clients. Collaborating with these public relations professionals has contributed to my ever-growing skill set. While my academic courses laid out the foundation of what press releases are and how to manage media relations, this internship presented the true-to-life process of their teachings. 

One of the most memorable experiences for me during the course of my internship was being invited to a media event for a team’s client. Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, a 10to1PR client, received a $150,000 Donation from a construction company to support Family Promise’s Emergency Shelter Program. With the client team inviting various local media to attend the check presentation ceremony, Arizona’s Family (Channel 3/5) and 12News (Channel 12) came to document this special event. The media event was a great angle for the story since it was able to perfectly capture the moment and the people involved in way this story is so worthy of reaching an audience. I was able to learn about procedures and etiquette conducted during these events, such as where to stand and how to correspond with media outlet figures such as camera men.

In addition to the Family Promise media event, one of my client team at 10to1PR was CDCA-WREB-CITA (CWC), an agency which focuses on dental licensure examination standards, was featured on a podcast with one of their spokespersons. I was a bit in the dark when it came to podcast interview procedures but thanks to my teammates, I was able to shadow them and learn the behind the scenes operation with talking points and media training. 

Another standout experience during my internship was being able to attend the PRSA Phoenix Midyear Mixer. I have had limited experiences networking with other industry professionals, besides my professors, so this mixer provided me with the opportunity to connect with a variety of PR pros. At this event, I was able to converse with professionals working B2B, B2C, and even B2G, and receivel of their career insights deepened my perspective of where I wanted to head as an upcoming public relations graduate. The PRSA Mixer broadened my professional circle, connected better to my team members, and provided support being new into the field.

Being an intern for 10to1PR will always be a cornerstone in my journey of becoming a public relations professional. 10to1PR instills fundamental practices such as media relations, monitoring, with PR writing for any professional through their specialized guidance, career development, and team members.