BY: MARISSA DIGIACOMO
On Monday February 12, PRSSA-UD welcomed our first speaker of the 2018 spring Semester UD-graduate director of Communications for America’s division of the Campbell Soup Company, Michelle Reardon. She joined us to discuss her experience in the political and
product sides of the Public Relations industry. Attendees gained insight on her impressive experiences, such as working for past Vice President, Joe Biden, and the chemical company, DuPont. She started out as an English major with hopes of a career in the publishing industry but then went on to study International Relations.
As an intern for Biden, Delaware senator at the time, she wrote letters about supporting local projects. After working for Biden, she was employed by the state of Delaware to work with Tom Carper, another politician who supported education, children and families first, and economic development through bringing Astrazeneca, a large biopharmaceutical company, to Delaware. Michelle emphasizes how it is so important to believe in what you are talking and telling stories about.
Later on in her professional experience, she worked for Dupont where she promoted products by writing stories on biofuels and strengthening America’s energy security. She even took photographs that were made famous worldwide. Now at Campbell Soup Company she notes the importance of “figuring out the motivation to actually sway people.”
As someone who loves interviews, Reardon notes it’s crucial to always ask questions and never expect to simply answer them. She gave us the advice that your resume is always your first way to point your foot in the right direction.
Not only does she work for Campbell’s but she also is a mother of twins, helps promote her husband’s New York Times best selling books, and even builds media kits for her brother’s rock band in Long Island. Those in the audience for this enlightening speaker were engaged with her many years of experience, gifts of food and drinks, and sense of humor.
Marissa DiGiacomo is currently a sophomore at the University of Delaware majoring in communications with minors in advertising and journalism. She has hopes to work in the public relations or journalism field once she graduates college. She’s also involved in yoga club, UDAB, and HerCampus.
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