I came to this study aboard opportunity without having any knowledge of the business world or about PR related. From the first zoom session I had, I gained a basic understanding of what CSR is. But it was my time in Dublin, where I got to physically see and get to know a board of workspaces and organizations, and how they associated themselves under CSR. My first understanding of this concept was that CSR only applies in business organizations, but after going to these meetings in Dublin, I concluded that CSR can be applied in any work environment. As a personal note, I may not be a PR major, but I did receive some insight that I may have to consider for my future career.  

 One thing that stood out to me the most from our meetings was how each one stuck to their morals and what they stand for. Me and my classmate were talking about this concept and how amazing it is that these organizations tend to stick to their morals and reject those that don’t meet them, like the Thinkhouse. We realized we can find a future work environment that represents us, meets our personal morals, and cares for us as their employee.  

Our visit to Alice PR was a meeting that stood out to me the most. It made me realize how PR can directly impact and relate to me. In simple terms, PR is our form of communication to get insight and understanding of who the organization is, what they stand for and what their values are. Which allows us to understand what we are supporting and working for.  

During this visit to Alice PR, they mentioned the “game changer”. Which is a sport event for raising awareness. During this meeting, it clicked to me that this concept sounds familiar to me. The Phillies baseball team did a partnership with CHOP to raise awareness to the down syndrome communities. This baseball event allows Phillies fans to become aware of the down syndrome community and allows families with down syndrome individuals to have a moment of connection and have easy access to resources and support. This example made me aware that I get my information from PR. The connection to CHOP was a real life example. I became a supporter of CHOP, and I eventually became a volunteer but it’s all due to PR. I noticed their values, what they stand for, their inclusivity, their support toward the communities, which made me want to be part of it. Therefore, I can understand just how PR can influence my decision making and my career.