Meet Serena Bronda (’16) Emerging Media Studies Alum and #Girlboss

Meet Emerging Media Studies alum, Serena Bronda. Serena is #girlboss and PR queen who landed a job at Eataly Boston right out of the EMS program. Now transitioning to a career at a PR healthcare agency, she provides us with her advice about networking in Boston and the Emerging Media Studies program.

Q: Where are you from originally/What is your undergraduate background?

 SB: I’m originally from Italy, from a small town on the coast of the Liguria region, in the northern part of the country. After my bachelor in contemporary Italian literature, I have worked in New Zealand for a year at the Italian Embassy as PR rep, then moved to London for my master in international journalism at City London University, and eventually, I relocated to Boston. I have worked as a communication and PR specialist for different media organizations and companies while studying in New Zealand, Italy, and the UK.

Q: What influenced you to choose BU’s EMS program?

 SB: Definitely EMS’s uniqueness and novelty. I was using social media for work and I realized the importance of such platforms within the fast-changing media and digital landscape and wanted to grasp the underpinnings of such digital tools so to be able to apply them to my job daily tasks.

Q: What was your favorite thing about the program? 

 SB: Being able to have a real work project is definitely my favorite thing about the program, a great opportunity students have in the Spring semester. I learned how to manage client's expectations, requests, workload and how to work in small teams. Throughout a real client work project, students learn self-management skills and get a real experience that is incredibly valuable to land eventually a job after the program.

Q: What has been the most challenging aspect of this area of study?

SB: Definitely learning the legal aspects relating to social media and its use. Because the digital world and specifically social media are constantly evolving, it is complicated to understand and apply law and regulations. Media law was undoubtedly a challenge during the program.

Q: What are you doing now/are you still in Boston?

 SB: Right upon graduation I landed a job as PR and Communication Associate for Eataly Boston, being involved in the opening of the new Eataly store right here at the Prudential Center in Boston. I have recently accepted a job as Account Executive for a PR healthcare agency in Newton, Aria Marketing.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your job now.

 SB: At Eataly, I have been in charge of all media relations and PR work (such as writing press releases, organizing media-related events, pitching to media and monitoring the coverage) as well as the social media management on all Eataly’s social media platforms Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. In my new job at Aria, my duties as PR account executive are primarily to liaise on a daily basis with clients and the media, build strong relationships and networks with clients and the media and work as part of the account team to develop client proposals and implement the PR activity.

Q: What have you found to be the most beneficial way to network with your peers/prospective employers?

 SB: Definitely LinkedIn. The platform offers the opportunity to navigate companies’ profiles and job openings as well as sending message requests to peers and employers you would be interested in working with.

Q: Do you have any other advice for current/prospective students?

SB: Be active outside of the campus! Find your interests and focus on those as well as the aspects of the program you have enjoyed more. For example, being involved in healthcare-related projects during the program, made me discover a real interest of mine in such field. I researched professionals in the Boston area working for healthcare organizations, met them for informational interviews and participated in conferences and workshops throughout the year. Now I finally landed a job in the healthcare field!

Q: What skills from the EMS program have helped you in your new career?

 SB: Self-management above all. Also, having had the chance during the program to study and work closely with new technologies, I’m now able to understand deeply how technologies can be applied to the healthcare world.

Q: Do you have any advice for students regarding the job search that comes after grad school? 

SB: Always believe in yourself and don't get frustrated if it is going to take a while to find a job after graduation. Finding a job is not easy, especially if you are an international student like me. It takes patience, determination, and effort, lots of effort. Do look for professionals on LinkedIn that share the same career goals and interests, ask for informational interviews with them, show your willingness to learn and work hard. And remember: it may take time, but you’re going to succeed in your search!

Can’t get enough of Serena? She will be on the Emerging Media Studies alumni panel, taking place Tuesday, June 27, 6-8 pm in COM 209.

Learn more about Emerging Media Studies.