Marie Cirelli Public Relations Jacksonville, Florida

Flagler students can make a real difference in the community. Just ask non-profit organizations such as Learn to Read of St. Johns County or the St. Augustine Humane Society. They are two clients who have benefited from the pro-bono work done by the Dow Advantage Public Relations Group—a PR firm co-founded by public relations major Marie Cirelli.

“This was an idea a couple of us came up with once Flagler College launched its own chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA),” explains Marie. “We thought it would be a good way for PR majors to gain professional work experience. We set it up as a real-world business—we have account executives, we develop strategic plans, we create innovative ways to implement them—but decided to make it a pro-bono service. This allows us to make a difference in the community, have more clients, and gain more experience.”

“If you really want to make something out of yourself, Flagler College is the place to do it. You get all the opportunities and the encouragement you need.”

“Projects like these are why I chose Flagler,” she continues. “You may get the same opportunities at a bigger school, but you have more competition. Here, you are in a community of friends where everyone is encouraging, where you get the individual attention you need, where you can actually take advantage of all the available resources.

Says St. Augustine Humane Society Director Cindy Bishop of the efforts of Marie and her team: “I think it's wonderful to see our future business and community leaders helping non-profits at this juncture in their careers. The Humane Society has benefited from the volunteerism of this wonderful group of Flagler students.”