Rebecca Shenefield
Publicist. Networker. Hotshot.
When she joined Public Relations Student Society of America, Rebecca Shenefield ’17 found her calling as a wedding and event planner.
Rebecca Shenefield ’17 has always had a knack for communications: A middle school television broadcast program launched her interest in public relations. At Columbia, she joined the Public Relations Student Society of America to network with other students. By the next semester, she was director of special events. Promoting and planning events, panels and conferences was the perfect fit for Shenefield—after graduation, she’ll pursue wedding and event planning.
Shenefield found a mentor in professor Shannelle Armstrong-Fowler, who taught her Fashion Public Relations course. Though it was her hardest class, Shenefield says that Armstrong-Fowler pushed her in the right direction. “[The class] was so demanding, and it really showed me: This is what it’s going to be like, this is how hard it is to get a job, this is the type of work you’ll be doing,” she says.
Now, Shenefield is a public relations intern for Chicago-based fashion lifestyle coach Mary Lashea. She also interns with Modern Luxury’s Chicago CS and Weddings Chicago publications. “Just being in Chicago, the opportunity we have here in public relations—it’s huge,” says Shenefield.
