People say that you’re not going to love your first job right out of college. You are starting a new chapter in your life, faced with the unknown of the intimidating “adult world”. I was faced with these same thoughts myself upon my graduation a year ago, until I had the opportunity to work at RPM PR.

If you asked me what I wanted to be when I was growing up in Livermore, California, my answer would’ve been a dancer or a teacher. It wasn’t until high school that I learned about the public relations industry, and it sparked my interest. Some of my family members work in the communications/public relations realm, and I always admired the work they did for their companies and the stories they were able to share. When it came time to choose a major at Fresno State, I knew I wanted to study PR.

I actually never pictured myself in Fresno nor attending Fresno State for that matter. Born and raised in the Bay Area, I had my mind set on attending some state schools in Southern California or a small private school in Los Angeles. I made several pros/cons lists when comparing schools, and had a long phone call with a family friend that all helped make my decision. That friend was a Fresno State alum, and told me all about how she fell in love with the bulldog spirit as a student. I was convinced, and as they say, the rest is history.

In all honesty, moving to Fresno was a bit of an adjustment at first. Especially leaving my close-knit family behind (#TheBarbacciaFam--Hi Mimi & Papa!). However, I knew I wanted to experience college for myself in a new city with new opportunities, and my family support system has held strong.

I couldn’t have asked for a better four years at Fresno State. From cheering on the Dogs during football season, to attending philanthropies with my sorority sisters and learning about Public Relations through my classes, I can say without a doubt that I am truly thankful for my opportunity in Fresno. And hey, it lead me to my first internship at a place called RPM PR (maybe you’ve heard of it?).

I may be a little bit biased (RPM is the only place I’ve worked at since graduating college) but this truly is the best team environment you could ask for. Starting out as an intern in Spring 2018, I was able to learn the real world ropes of PR, how to pitch a press release to the media, and how to be a support system to your coworkers no matter what is thrown at you in this fast-paced industry.

A couple of months after my internship ended, I was blessed with the opportunity to come back to RPM PR as the Executive Assistant. I couldn’t contain my excitement moving back to Fresno and to walk into to work every day with this amazing #squad.

Being RPM PR’s Executive Assistant has pushed me to learn and grow in areas that I’ve never experienced before. I had not been an assistant, much less to the #PRQueen Rae Pardini Matson (#bestbossever), and I’ve never been a part of a startup. I love being in this industry, working on creative projects, and building relationships with our clients. To say that I’m a part of a company that truly cares about the work we produce for the Valley is a unique privilege and to learn from Rae is the cherry on top!

It’s the little wins and moments here at RPM PR that make me appreciate the opportunities I have had. Otherwise, I would not be here, sitting underneath the hot pink neon RPM sign, writing a blog post for you.

If you get anything out of this post, know that life takes you to unexpected places and that everything will work out in God’s plan. Take advantage of every opportunity you get. I’m using this time to ask myself questions about my place in this industry. What do I want to work harder on? What do I want to grow in and who do I want to celebrate my successes and losses with? Lucky for me, I have some beautiful peeps here at RPM PR who are helping me figure it out.

I’ve learned to love the Central Valley and the amazing people in it, and I feel like my journey here has just begun.

Xo, Executive Assistant Amanda

From the Desk of: Amanda Stanford, Executive Assistant