Student Spotlight: Life as a student practitioner
by Stacey Thornberry
 Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, has been home to Ernest Hemingway, Frank Lloyd Wright, Kathy Griffin, Betty White—and George Washington University student John Trybus. Like these cultural icons, John left this diverse and hardworking community to make his mark on the world.
He selected George Washington, with its outstanding educational opportunities and the city as its campus, to study political science and communication. The power of government, the centrality of the school’s Washington, D.C. location and the endless possibilities for exploration cemented John’s decision. He says it's a great place to live and work for four years, but he sees himself either returning to his Midwestern roots and living in the Chicago area or venturing to New York City, which he sees as the hub of communication.
In addition to authoring the advice article in this edition of Student Connection, John has had multiple internships and jobs at high-profile organizations including Weber Shandwick, the White House and the National Geographic Society. His experience has resulted in the creation of his own public relations firm, JDT Public Relations. Although he feels some people may view him as a workaholic, he says that when people get to know him they realize he's actually fun and has a sense of humor. He contends that there's no reason you can't do your job well and have fun too. He tries to laugh every day, and often laughs at himself.
Read the following interview to learn about the interesting organizations John has worked for, why he wanted to write an article for Student Connection and the importance of experience.
Q: How did you choose political science as your area of study?
A: Political science is naturally a specialty of George Washington University. The school has a great program. I was originally interested in the political communication discipline, but when I gained experience in this area, I learned that it wasn't the right fit for me. I discovered the realities of political life. You're at the whim of the election cycle and you have to align yourself to a political party. I consider myself more independent, so that didn't work for me. I also enjoy doing things for the greater good rather than having a singular focus. It was a good experience though, because I learned about strategy, campaign development and communication skills, all of which I've taken to other areas like brand-building and corporate communication.
Q: And why did you decide to minor in both communication and journalism?
A: Having a double minor is like having a second major in the amount of classes alone. I like the balance of these two areas of study. Communication is more theoretical, while journalism provides more hands-on experience to improve my writing and communication skills. It's a winning combination. Also, George Washington University has some of the greatest journalists on its faculty, like Steve Roberts.
Q: What has been your favorite university class and why?
A: I love my public relations classes, especially the class I took last semester called "principles of public relations." The professor, James Spellman, was an amazing instructor. He was a former press secretary and is currently a communication consultant in Washington, D.C. Where else can you learn from someone like that? The projects were also worthwhile. We split into account teams and managed a public relations campaign. My team worked on a campaign for Menu Foods, the company that was at the heart of the pet food scandal. We worked on strategies to reenergize the company’s brand and return its reputation to its pre-outbreak level. It was a satisfying experience.
Q: Did you approach Menu Foods with the proposal your team created?
A: No, we did not, but that would be very interesting. I'm considering sharing my project for Dole Bananas with that company though. For my Student Gold Quill Award entry, I wrote a campaign for Dole Bananas to help them market their organic bananas better in order to increase their corporate reputation and get a part of the green market share. It would be interesting to see if they liked my ideas.
Q: What is your number one pet peeve?
A: How do I select just one? Poor grammar is probably my number one pet peeve. I definitely have my own grammar issues, but I try to pay attention to everything I say and write. I especially can't stand people who say "anyways"—it's singular! Anyone reading this, please stop saying "anyways"—at least to me. When someone says it, I am immediately distracted thinking about it and don’t listen anymore. I end up missing the message.
Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun?
A: One of my main hobbies is photography. I have a digital SLR camera that I'm learning to use; it's harder than it looks. I like taking photojournalism, documentary-type photos. I recently did a photo story about the Washington, D.C. fish market. For three months, I spent the weekends taking photos of the location, capturing the interactions between vendors and customers. It became a study of human nature, documenting culturally diverse people speaking in their traditional language to purchase food for cooking traditional dishes at home. I'm very proud of it.
I also like to travel and explore Washington, D.C. I've been known to enjoy long dim sum lunches in Chinatown with friends. I like to say that Chinatown is a place for "real life" experiences. I want to see the Chinatown in San Francisco, and elsewhere. They are great places for photos.
Q: What was the last book you read?
A: I am constantly reading, usually several books at one time. The most recent book I read was Marketing to the Social Web by Larry Weber, of Weber Shandwick. The book helps practitioners understand Web 2.0 and how it works for clients. It's a great introduction to the social web phenomenon with insights into how to integrate strategies. I highly recommend this book.
My interest in change movements led me to read How to Change the World by David Bornstein. It talks about the change makers in society, which is a big topic now, especially with Barack Obama’s messaging in the U.S. presidential race. Public relations can play a big role in change movements, which I find fascinating.
Q: How many jobs/internships have you held? What were they?
A: I've lost count. I have a lot of work experience with great organizations doing great things. I've held public relations/communication internships at Zapwater Communications, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office and the Topinka for Illinois Governor campaign.
I interned for the global public relations agency, Weber Shandwick, in their Washington, D.C. office working on accounts for MasterCard, the U.S. Mint and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, among others. I worked in a team setting to employ strategies and tactics. I learned about media relations, thought leadership and coalition building. I worked with the top communication talent around, including former press secretaries and directors of communication. I enjoyed the challenge of working with high profile, multimillion-dollar clients and working in an agency setting where I was surrounded by people who truly are experts.
One of the best events we had was a book party launch for Write It When I'm Gone by Thomas M. DeFrank, about Gerald Ford. I got to talk with the “who’s who” of Washington, D.C., including [longtime White House correspondent] Helen Thomas. She was so tiny and had so much personality—she was even wearing a leopard print coat. I'm so thankful to my friends at Weber Shandwick and I must give them a shout out; I learned so much from their mentorship and friendship.
At the White House, I worked in the office of presidential scheduling and strategic planning. I helped senior staff create long term and daily strategic schedules for George W. Bush and the First Lady. This task may not seem related to communication/public relations, but it absolutely is. What the U.S. president goes to, or doesn't go to, designates what's important to the administration. President Bush receives thousands of invitations, and I had to research each one and decide which ones were important. I worked on some high profile events, like the Queen of England's visit about a year ago. It was a tremendous experience to walk the halls of the White House. I felt like I was a part of history. One of the highlights of my time there was when I met the president’s dogs, Barney and Miss Beazley. Those dogs are rock stars!
Q: Do you currently have an internship in a communication field?
A: I currently work at the National Geographic Society as a public relations intern. I work in the communication office with a team of nearly 30 practitioners. This department is arguably the heartbeat of the organization. Some people think that the National Geographic Society is only a magazine; this couldn't be further from the truth. We have six magazines, a television channel, radio shows, a book division, travel tours and more. We're an omnimedia company with a purpose. My department's job is to speak on behalf of the society to inspire people to care about the planet, which is an exciting and powerful message. We have a very strong brand. We represent quality media, learning and education, providing views of different parts of the world so that people understand the beauty of this planet and see that it's worthy of protection. I'm proud to be a part of a hardworking department that's good at what it does.
Q: Tell us more about your firm, JDT Public Relations.
A: I'm working with six clients in the United States to help develop strategic communication and public relations strategy to meet their organizational objectives. One client I'm working with is Primates Inc. in Wisconsin. They've created a sanctuary for retired lab monkeys, entertainment primates, etc. When these animals are retired, they have nowhere to go and are often destroyed. This organization is trying to give them somewhere to go. I successfully placed the founder of the organization on a radio tour across the U.S., which I'm quite proud of. Another client I have is Play 4 Life in New York. Their objective is to educate at-risk youth about the importance of healthy eating and how to cook healthy food.
JDT Public Relations is my way to gain more experience while helping worthwhile organizations that don't have a large budget for hiring big public relations firms. It’s personally satisfying.
Q: What skills do you think are most important to do your job well? Where did you learn these skills?
A: Listening and being a team player. At any job, you need to listen to those that know more than you and learn. In every setting I've worked in, I've been part of a team and experienced the power of synergy. I believe that I inherently have some of these skills, but I fine-tuned them through work experience and following the example of my co-workers and my parents. My parents taught me to be a productive member of society and to care about what I'm doing.
Q: Do you have a mentor?
A: I have many people that I consider my mentors in different ways—professional mentors for advice and career planning, and personal mentors. My parents are my No. 1 mentors. It's important to have personal cheerleaders who help you when life gets tough, but they need to be honest with you. Too often you'll run into "yes" people who only tell you what you want to hear. You need a mentor who's willing to challenge you. My parents bring me back to reality when necessary. Mentorship is a two-way street; it needs to be mutually beneficial. I like to throw my ideas back and forth with my mentors to get the most of out the relationship. I truly value my mentors.
Q: What is your ultimate career goal?
A: I want to continue to work in communication, specifically public relations. I'm good at it, but more importantly, I'm passionate about it. I'd like to continue to explore synergistic media companies, corporation work, brand-building and reputation management. I'm interested in many things. For longevity in a career, what you do is not simply a job, it must be a passion.
Q: What is your role in your IABC student chapter?
A:
My university unfortunately does not have an IABC student chapter. I have, however, tried to take full advantage of my membership in other ways. As mentioned before, I submitted an entry in the Student Gold Quill Award competition, I am a member of the Washington, D.C. professional chapter, read every issue of CW and Student Connection, and submit articles to the newsletter.
Q: What is your favorite benefit that IABC offers?
A: Well, now that I'm being featured in the March edition and have an article in it, Student Connection! All kidding aside, I read Student Connection every month. It's interesting to see what student practitioners are doing and it always has helpful tips and hints for students. I also think the Student Gold Quill Award contest is great because it's specifically for students, which is often not the case with other communication competitions. I applaud IABC for helping and focusing on students.
Q: Why did you want to write an article for Student Connection?
A: I thought I had something to share with other students. I'm a senior with experience. I want to share what I know with others and help people who are just starting to discover what the communication field is about.
Q: How do you think being a student member of IABC has helped you?
A: Being a student member of IABC has helped me tremendously. The sheer fact that I can list my membership on my résumé has helped. Practitioners who know what they're doing know IABC. It's like being part of an elite society where you can share a mutual understanding with those who care about their career, bettering themselves and knowing the latest trends in communication.
Q: What would you say to other students who are thinking of joining IABC or starting a chapter?
A: Don't hesitate. Join today. Start a chapter today. IABC is a wonderful organization that offers so much to students. If you're not joining, others are, and in this competitive environment, you need to distinguish yourself. One way to do so is to join IABC and start a chapter.
Want to know more? Contact John.
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