The College of New Jersey has signed a memorandum of understanding with Princeton Strategic Communications to expand internship opportunities and career pathways for students in the School of the Arts and Communication.
The year-round partnership will provide TCNJ students with access to paid, hybrid internships and guaranteed interviews for qualified applicants, along with professional development experiences tied to real-world communications work.
The agreement includes opportunities for students involved in Creative State, the college’s new student-led public relations and design agency, as well as mentorship, guest lectures, mock press conferences, office visits, and other hands-on learning experiences.
“Creative State is designed to give our students real-world experience and develop industry connections,” said Pamela Barnett Halladay, dean of the School of the Arts and Communication.
“This new partnership with PSC expands that mission in exciting ways, opening doors to professional opportunities that will help our students thrive in their careers after graduation,” she said.
Creative State was launched with support from TCNJ alumni Andy ’83 and Maria ’83 Polansky and brings together students from communication studies, journalism and professional writing, digital filmmaking, art, design and creative technology.
Students work under faculty mentorship to develop public relations campaigns, design projects, branding initiatives, websites, video content, and other client deliverables while building industry-level skills before graduation.
For Trentpon-based Princeton Strategic Communications, the partnership reflects the firm’s broader focus on strengthening New Jersey’s creative and communications workforce pipeline.
“We’re proud to partner with TCNJ to support their budding designers, communicators, and creative professionals,” said Ethan Andersen, managing partner at PSC.
He added: “We’re excited to welcome their students into our agency environment to learn from our team and contribute their own innovative ideas.”
The collaboration also holds special significance for Emaleigh Kaithern ’15, a communications director at PSC and a TCNJ alumna.
“The Creative State program is a perfect example of TCNJ’s commitment to student success, and I’m honored to help provide foundational career experiences to the next generation of Lions,” Kaithern said.
Princeton Strategic Communications is a service marketing and communications agency that specializes in media relations, crisis communications, digital strategy, branding and creative.