All posts by Sean Graveley

Career Reflections

Dublin Career Reflection

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While I am not a PR major, there was so much I took away from our visits in Dublin that still apply to my future career as a Media Studies and Production major. The career advice regarding CSR and Sustainability from the business professionals we spoke to can broadly apply to any career path, especially within the realm of communications. One prime example of this was each business’ commitment to working with clients that align with their values and goals. This was especially prominent at Thinkhouse, where they made it clear that they have refused clients in the past for not aligning with the firm’s values regarding CSR and Sustainability.

Additionally, it surprised me how much of what Thinkhouse did related to Media Studies and Production. They noted that they have a full team of producers, editors, directors, and other production staff to create the content they produce, such as the commercial for the youth art showcase they were promoting. This particular visit made me realize how much PR is intertwined with other fields of communication, and how the different fields interact with each other to complete the goals of a particular company. It made me realize that I may end up working for a company like Thinkhouse in the future, just on the production side of things rather than the PR side.

Another thing I took away from our visit was each company’s commitment to ethics as it relates to CSR. Each company’s commitment to being fully authentic and transparent, especially Allied Irish Bank, really resonated with me. I work for Temple Update, Temple’s student-run news broadcast, and a huge point of emphasis for news professionals is making sure you are reporting in a responsible way and that your messaging is precise and correct. This same sentiment was shared by almost every business we visited, including Alice PR, who emphasized their relationship with journalists, media professionals, and influencers as a huge part of what they do.

The talks with professionals on this trip made me realize how lessons in CSR and Sustainability apply to all career paths, businesses, and individuals. As Paul Kelly said at AIB, there is a theory that there is someone alive today who will meet the last person to ever live on earth, a sobering thought that we have to make sure does not happen. With that thought, it is important for all aspiring professionals to learn about CSR and Sustainability, and I’m grateful that I was able to learn about it first-hand on this amazing trip to Dublin.

Dublin On Your Own

Dublin on Your Own: The Urban Green Space of St. Stephen’s Green Park

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Prior to leaving for Dublin, I was having a hard time figuring out what my “Dublin on my own” adventure would be. That was until the day before the trip, where I found out our hostel was only a 15 minute walk away from a sprawling park in South Dublin, St. Stephen’s Green Park. I am a huge fan of parks and green spaces in large cities. I frequently go to Fairmount Park in Philly when I can, and when I make trips to New York I always make a point to visit Central Park and admire the public parks in the middle of a concrete jungle.

While visiting the the Little Museum of Dublin, I noticed that St. Stephen’s was directly across the street. I went back to the hostel got into a quick change of clothes, put my headphones on, and made my way back to the park. Needless to say, the experience did not disappoint. In the 1000 plus year old city, it was really cool to see an open green space with kids running around, people relaxing on the various benches, and others just getting some fresh air.

What I really admired were the two ponds placed throughout the middle of the park and getting to see ducks swim across.

The park also featured a number of monuments, such as the Constance Markievicz bust, honoring a woman who was an Irish Revolutionary and the first ever woman elected to the UK Parliament. I also stopped to see The Three Fates Fountain, Fulliser’s Arch, and the WB Yeats Memorial. Overall, I loved the experience of walking through St. Stephen’s Green Park and don’t regret picking it as my Dublin on my own adventure. I make it a point to stop by public parks in the cities I go to and loved that I had the opportunity to do it while in Dublin.

CSR in the Wild

CSR, Advocacy, and Sustainability Scavenger Hunt: WB Yeats Water

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One example of CSR and Sustainability in the wild I saw while in Dublin were the WB Yeats water cartons sold throughout much of the city. During the trip, I found myself buying these water bottles to stay hydrated, and I couldn’t help but notice that they are quite different from the plastic water bottles you may find in the US, as the bottle promotes the fact that it is fully recyclable and is made from 88% plant based material. The bottle displays the famous Irish poet WB Yeats, and its lack of single use plastic material makes it extremely easy to recycle and great for sustainability. I think the US could greatly benefit from adopting use of these plant based cartons for water as opposed to single use plastic bottles.

Career Reflections, Professional Visits, Workshops, etc.

Alice PR: Public Relations for the Betterment of Society

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Yesterday, I was absolutely thrilled to learn from PR professionals at Alice PR. From the moment we started talking with them, it was clear that this firm embodied the definition of CSR and could put their money where there mouth is. The thing I found the most eye-opening was how they only work with companies that are working for positive societal change, such as LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups and organizations helping women who are victims of sexual exploitation. This steadfast commitment made it clear where their values stood.

I also found the Academy for Activists to be especially interesting. The idea of bringing together activists from many different fields who are early in their activist careers and giving them the opportunity to learn about subjects in the media relations and PR fieldsa is amazing, and reinforces their commitment to activism. Furthermore, their rollout of the Game Changer campaign with their client Ruhama was an amazing thing to learn about. Bringing awareness of victims of sexual exploitation to a national sporting event in Ireland helps to bring as much attention to it as possible and even brought out notable Irish policymakers within the government. I also loved the activity at the end where we acted as PR firm working with a client to help bring solutions to a certain issue, my group addressed food waste.

Getting to meet the professionals at Alice PR is absolutely an experience I will carry throughout my professional career, as you see many elements from what they talked about, such as social media, in media studies and production. It was an amazing learning experience and I look forward to following what they do in the future!

Professional Visits, Workshops, etc.

Allied Irish Bank and Goodbody Clearstream: The Future of Sustainable Banking

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Earlier today, I had the tremendous opportunity to talk to business professionals from Allied Irish Bank and Goodbody Clearstream, where they talked about how Allied Irish Bank practices sustainability as well how companies try to achieve it in the EU.

One thing I learned about was how Allied Irish Bank has a series of guardrails to ensure that they are meeting their sustainability goals, including agreeing to a plan, working with customers through that plan, and creating enhanced asset management. Through these guardrails they ensure people that their words are not empty. Another thing I learned was how sustainability laws in Ireland operate on three different levels, national (ROI Climate Action Plan, EU (European Green Deal), and Global (Paris Climate Agreement). These three levels ensure that companies are being held accountable by three different governing bodies. A third thing I learned was that small businesses have a harder time transitioning to a sustainability based mindset, due to smaller profit margins and steep overheads, a problem that Allied Irish Bank says they try to help with through Sustainability loans.

One thing I found particularly interesting was how transparent the professionals we talked to were, especially Paul. He leveled with us that the company isn’t perfect and that banks have a bad reputation due to the financial crisis and the huge bailouts. I really appreciated the transparency from Paul, Kathy, and John. Another thing I found interesting was how Goodbody Clearstream’s main goal is to make sustainability as easy as possible for companies, so that they can achieve their goals while also undertaking good sustainability practices. One thing I’d like to learn more about is the different kinds of Carbon Accounting, Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. They were addressed in the presentation but I’d to look more into it and how companies address it on my own.

Meet Our Bloggers

Sean Blog Intro

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Hi! My name is Sean Graveley and I am a rising senior and Media Studies and Production major. This is my first time with Klein Go and will be my first visiting Ireland or anywhere in Europe for that matter (yay!). There are Irish roots in all corners of my family so this has been something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

I have a passion for visual media and storytelling, so I’m excited to take pictures and video of the beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer. My goal is to work in video and media production after graduating either for a production company of sorts or a news organisation. I currently work at Temple Update as a Director, Technical Director, and editor. I also host and produce for the sports shows of WHIP Radio at Temple.

When it comes to CSR, it is something I am really looking forward to learning more about from professionals in Ireland. As an aspiring media professional, CSR is applicable in the industry in so many different ways, so I want to be as knowledgeable and informed as I can be when I enter the industry.

I am incredibly excited to see everyone there and have a blast in a new country! I can’t wait to experience what Irish culture has to offer.

Safe travels everyone and see you in Dublin!

Slán,

Sean Graveley