Central Communication Agency gives students real-world public relations experience

Dozens of aspiring public relations professionals are getting a head start on their careers through the Central Communication Agency (CCA) at Central Washington University.

The Student Media Board-affiliated program is a two-credit class within the Department of Communication that gives students from a wide range of disciplines an opportunity to manage accounts for clients on and off campus while producing professional-quality work designed to accent their portfolios.

The 100% student-run organization, established in 2011 by former Professor Elizabeth Kerns, is affiliated with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The staff of account executives and coordinators is led by one or two agency directors (depending on the year), who ensure client communications and project deadlines remain on track.

This year alone, CCA maintained on-campus accounts for PULSE Magazine and the Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising program, along with community clients such as Valley Theatre Company, Ellensburg Community Radio, and Pigture Perfect Rescue and Sanctuary.

Graduating seniors Litzy Rodriguez and Abu Agyeman served as the co-directors for the recently completed academic year. Rodriguez, a PR major with a communication minor, said she feels like CCA is in a good place, with a growing list of clients and increased interest among students.

“We had a lot of new people this year, so we had to teach them what to do and why certain things are important,” she said. “But once everyone figured out their role, we became a really close-knit team. We were able to show them the right way to do things, and we ended up having a great quarter together.”

Agyeman agreed, saying the team has a lot to be proud of after a successful spring.

“There is so much to learn, but we were fortunate to shadow two former directors who helped us create our own vision for the agency,” he said. “We had to learn some things on the fly, but once we figured everything out, the spring quarter went pretty smooth.”

Agyeman is leaving CCA with a high level of self-confidence, knowing that he’s already been exposed to what real-world PR work is like. He started out as an account coordinator during winter quarter and learned how to put on events through a partnership with Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) last winter.

“My graphic design and social media skills have improved a lot, and I feel like I have a lot to offer a PR firm,” said Agyeman, a public relations major with a minor in digital marketing who spent two quarters with CCA. “I also gained a lot of experience working behind the scenes on event planning and execution, which is definitely going to help me get my foot in the door somewhere.”

Rodriguez just completed her fourth quarter as a member of CCA and she feels well-prepared for a career in PR or communications.

“I’ve had a couple of social media management internships — one which came from a CCA client — so I feel like I have a lot to build on as I start looking for jobs,” she said.

Cross-Disciplinary Experience

One of the most notable improvements at CCA this year was the increased participation by Film Studies students. Green initially recruited senior film major Lindsie Avalos during winter quarter to help produce video content for CCA and PULSE Magazine.

Avalos ended up taking on an even larger role over the winter when Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising program Director Andrea Eklund hired CCA to develop a series of 12 videos in English and Spanish.

“I wanted to learn more videography and video-editing skills to help with my career, so I decided to do both PULSE and the ATM project,” said Avalos, who found herself editing in Lind Hall until 4 a.m. at least once a week this spring. “It’s been difficult at times to handle both projects, but it’s been very rewarding.”

For the ATM project, Avalos recorded separate 10-minute interviews about all 12 ATM class offerings, and then produced promotional videos for each. The project’s scope expanded when ATM Professor Astrid Vidalon-Shields requested 10 more videos (six in Spanish, four in English).

Avalos said the commitment felt daunting at first, but she ended up embracing the challenge.

“This is one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever worked on,” she said. “There’s so much editing work, but the videos have come together really well. I’m very proud of the work we’ve been putting out.”

Avalos’s experience with CCA ended up helping her land a number of interviews with a national company called Techtronic Industries. She is confident that CCA introduced her to what it will be like to work as a professional videographer.

As she continues to look for a full-time opportunity this summer, she plans to pursue videography opportunities for weddings and businesses in the Tri-Cities.

“I feel like this experience has prepared me really well for life after college,” Avalos said. “CCA has taught me how to manage clients, which is why I now feel prepared to start my own business in videography. Working for CCA and PULSE has showed me the kind of work ethic it will take to be successful.”

Set Up for Success

One recent CCA alumna is exactly where she wants to be in her career, just one year after graduation.

Immediately after receiving her public relations degree, former firm director Jacqueline Hixssen (’23) returned home to Anchorage, Alaska, and began working as a marketing and communications specialist for a tier-2 junior hockey team called the Anchorage Wolverines.

She credits her mentors, including retired CCA advisor Terri Reddout and former firm director Ian Moffett, for providing her with the tools she needed to take the next step in her career.

“Terri and Ian really set me up for success,” said Hixssen, who also earned minors in sports business and journalism at CWU. “Terri had a big impact on me as an advisor and Ian was someone I could always turn to and ask questions.”

Hixssen spent three quarters with CCA — one as an account executive and two as firm director. She spent a lot of time working with the KVH account, learning the intricacies of event planning and execution.

“Working with KVH my first quarter was what made me want to continue with CCA,” she said, thanking KVH Chief Public Relations Officer Michele Wurl for her guidance. “I came in without any experience, and Michele taught me so many things that allowed me to be successful.”

Hixssen said the most important skills she took away from her time with CCA included learning how to become a leader and how to “control the room.” She learned to embrace the responsibility of being the person her classmates could come to when they needed advice.

“As the firm director, you’re the primary contact for day-to-day questions from the entire staff,” she said. “I hadn’t ever been in a leadership role before, but having that experience under my belt gave me a lot of confidence.”

Now that the Wolverines’ season has come to a close, Hixssen and her colleagues are beginning to prepare for next year. She enjoyed a successful first year with the club, and she looks back on her time with CCA as a major catalyst in her professional development.

“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what CCA helped me with the most because it did so much for me,” Hixssen said. “The skills I learned have really carried over into my current position, and I’m excited to continue learning and growing.”

Strong Foundation

Jennifer Green, a senior lecturer in media and journalism, and film, began serving as CCA faculty advisor at the start of the 2023-24 academic year, and she has been pleased to see the program regain its prowess after a post-pandemic lull.

“We had 15 or 20 students from a wide variety of majors this year, and our goal is to keep growing,” she said. “I’ve always been impressed with the potential of this agency because it offers so much to both students and clients. We’re really starting to expand our reach across campus and in the community.”

Incoming senior Benita Jangala will assume the role of agency director in the fall after working with CCA for the past two quarters.

She served as an account executive for two nonprofit clients, White Pony Express in San Francisco and Valley Theatre Company in Ellensburg.

“Working for both WPE and VTC these past two quarters has been incredibly rewarding,” Jangala said. “Gaining experience with real, thriving companies is such a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow.”

The public relations major with a minor in nonprofit organization management came to CWU last year as a neo-traditional learner after she was laid off from her job at Google. She is hoping to work in government or for nonprofits to make a positive impact in the community.

“I see many people talking past each other, with no one truly listening, leading to increased polarization in various aspects of our lives,” Jangala said. “To do better, we need accurate information presented to the public, as people's confidence in what they hear is at an all-time low. I want to help make the situation better.”

Jangala and Green encourage incoming students to learn more about opportunities with CCA on the agency’s website.

CWU students preparing for the next academic year may also be interested in the new public relations minor being offered by the Department of Communication. The program is designed for students from various majors to take an advantage of the manageable size of the curriculum (27 credits) to learn PR skills as they relate to their own field.