Heitor De Paula ’20, who was drawn to Berry’s communication program because of its versatility, graduated with a public relations concentration plus a variety of career-focused experiences. Combining skills learned in his public relations classes and work opportunities on and off campus, Heitor built a resume that landed him job interviews before graduation. He accepted a position as an assistant social media strategist with Mediahub, a full-service global media company located in 10 countries with over 900 employees. He later joined Emory University as a social media specialist.
“With PR, you can really do anything you want,” Heitor says. “I’ve done a little bit of public relations specifically, but I’ve also done social media and account management and handling relationships with different clients.”
The summer before his junior year, Heitor worked as an account services intern at Shepherd Advertising Agency in Jacksonville, Fla., where he got to do a bit of everything, from writing press releases to assisting with social media for clients. Advice from his first supervisor at Berry inspired him to go above and beyond. “She said to never stop asking for feedback and reaching for other things and asking what more I can do for future employers,” Heitor says. “That really resonated with me — I took that advice and moved it toward all of my other experiences.”
As the social media assistant for Berry College, Heitor refined his skills in graphic design and social media, applying them to Instagram stories and Snapchat geofilters. He says the assistantship also equipped him with another essential skill — how to market himself.
Heitor’s advisor and mentor, Associate Professor of Business Communication Sam Nazione, says she’s seen both his skills and his ambition grow in the past few years. “He’s not only going to be dependable and be there, but he’s so ambitious and interested and invested in learning.”
