Students, professionals meet, mingle at Networking Night

Loyola University’s School of Mass Communication hosted its second annual Networking Night on Tuesday, October 13. With more than 90 students showing up to collect names and business cards, distribute resumes and mingle with professionals in their areas of interest, the event was considered a rousing success.

The event organizers opened Loyola’s doors to more than a dozen local communications-related companies – including Deveney Communications, Horizon Entertainment, Gulf Restoration Network, and many others – to provide students from Loyola and eight other local universities to come together in hopes of finding future internships and jobs.

The event itself was an opportunity for Loyola students to show off their skills. Organized and staged by Professor Valerie Andrews’ event planning class, students lined up 14 sponsors, including Coca Cola, which donated beverages and La Madeleine Restaurant, which donated 12 dessert trays, according to sophomore public relations major Courtney Mattison. She and several other communications students worked throughout the event handing out food and beverages.

Andrews said her 17 students split into three teams: promotions/publicity, sponsorship and venue. Each played a critical role in making the event run smoothly.

Andrews said she incorporated public relations theory and principles into the planning of Networking Night so students would gain a firmer understanding of the issue.

The second half of the semester student’s will choose their own client and stage an event of their own choosing.