My NRC Experience: MOW Poughkeepsie

Emily Bernstein, Account Executive

Hi! My name is Emily Bernstein and I am the account executive for Meals On Wheels of Poughkeepsie. I am a Junior at Marist, majoring in Communications with a double concentration in Advertising and Public Relations. I am minoring in Graphic Design. 

I found out about North Road Communications through one of my PR professors, and was immediately interested. It amazed me that Marist offered this “real world” firm experience to students, so I decided to apply. I never expected to be given a leadership role my first semester here! Although I was nervous at first, I grew confident in my role so quickly with the support of the firm.

The biggest thing I have gained from NRC is the ability to be a leader, and directly communicate with a client. I had worked on PR and advertising campaigns before in my classes and summer internship, but I had never been the direct contact between client and firm. Being an Account Executive for Meals on Wheels of Poughkeepsie has given me this opportunity. It has taught me how to prioritize tasks, and make sure the ultimate goals of the client are met. 

I feel especially grateful to be working with Meals on Wheels in the midst of COVID-19. Meals on Wheels delivers weekly meals to any households who are unable to get their own food. This service is especially important right now. Representing such an impactful organization during this time makes the work for them extra rewarding. This experience has sparked my interest in getting involved in PR for nonprofit organizations, as I see how passionate these organizations are for the community they serve. It’s been really fun working with Meals on Wheels this semester, and I would not have had this experience without North Road!