As Olivet has entered a time of change more quickly than anyone had anticipated, one of ONU’s public relations students had already laid down a solid framework for the next semester not only for herself, but for ONU’s Communication Department in general. Newly elected president and current treasurer for PRSSA (Public Relation Student Society of America) Sarah Roberts has a vision not only to better herself, but also build others up in the process.
Her story about how she came to Olivet is actually pretty normal for an average Olivet student. Her older cousin who graduated last semester talked about the school to his whole family. Olivet was the only college that she truly looked at. The biggest thing she wanted to have at college was a PRSSA program. “I came in as a declared PR major, I knew that is what I wanted to do… I knew PRSSA would be a stepping stone. That was the nail in the coffin picking Olivet, knowing that they had a good PR program.”
Ever since her time at Olivet, Sarah has always had her nose to the ground trying to get work done. Rachel Schramm, a current Grad Assistant for the Communications department, knew that from the first moment she met Sarah. “She was eager, she was very interested in what our program has to offer. I could tell that she was going to be a self-starter.”
One of the most memorable stories Rachel has with Sarah was near the end of her freshman year. The Public Relations program had gone through a change and Sarah wanted more positions and thought Olivet wasn’t the place to have that. Rachel had the same conversation when she was her age at Olivet.
Seeing her determination, Rachel pushed for her to have different positions. This led to her sophomore year becoming an Account Executive in Inspired Strategies Agency handling the Bourbonnais Public Library as a client, and gaining a vice presidency role in PRSSA. “I watched Sarah break out of a shell that she didn’t even know that she was in. She started owning different parts of her personality, her leadership skills have grown crazy high to now she is the President of our club in her junior year and will probably have a leadership position in the future.
Sarah’s faith is a huge aspect in all of the area’s in her life. One of the biggest things to her is being able to live like Christ, show love to others, and having good ethical decisions. One of the biggest things in PR to her is those ethics, with reputation and multiple opportunities to lie to other people, it’s huge for her to have a good moral compass.
January 23rd, 2020.
One of Sarah’s biggest inspirations is her Mom. Besides being a great example of Christ’s love for others, she has always put her children before herself. She has also started her own businesses and gotten it off the ground running. “She amazes me and inspires me to keep going.”
Besides being involved with PRSSA, Sarah has a part-time job sitting desk for the Communications Department, becoming a very familiar face to students and faculty alike. She also hopes to return to ISA next semester once the school year begins.
When asked about what’ll make all of what she does worth it, she states being able to take care of her family and the people she loves.
“I’m here to serve in the best capacity I can, and for me the best way I can serve is to help people tell their stories.”
For more information on the PRSSA chapter at Olivet, click here.
For more information on Inspired Strategies Agency, click here.
For more information about the Communications program at Olivet, click here.
