Today, we speak with Griffin Gallagher, a senior Public Relations and Advertising major from Middleton, NJ (Monmouth County) who lives in a house off-campus. Griffin will share his #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how he’s getting the most out of his college experience as a Rowan Prof.
Name: Griffin Gallagher
Majors: Public Relations + Advertising
Minors or concentrations: Strategic Communication
Year: Senior
Hometown and County: Middletown, NJ (Monmouth County)
Resident: Off-campus house
Academic clubs: Public Relations Student Society of America (President), PRaction (Mentor)
Social clubs: Rowan College Republicans (Communications Chair)
Share an “aha!” moment you’ve had within your major that made you feel passionate about your intended field. Moments like this come every day for me, but my most significant would be last year’s PRSSA Summer Retreat. As the only non-senior on e-board, I went into this meeting feeling nervous and out of place, but after discussing PR with the group and ideas for the semester, I knew this was the major and organization for me.
Describe for us an experience you’ve shared with a professor in which you felt like you were working with a visionary in your field. Through working for Singularity Press last year, I’ve had the fantastic opportunity to learn under Professor Megan Atwood. Coming into the job, I had little to no knowledge on the publishing industry. With that in mind, I did a ton of web searches on publishing companies, literature trends, startups, etc. to try and seem somewhat knowledgeable in my first meeting with her. However, I learned more about publishing from my first day working for Megan than from all of my prior research combined. She is a great leader and knows the industry inside and out.
Describe for us an on-campus experience (academic or non-academic) in which you felt that your future goals are supported. Being a part of the e-board for PRSSA and PRaction has immensely expanded my learning experience outside of the classroom. Through networking opportunities, real-world experience, expert panelists and the help of my fellow club members, these organizations have made me feel much more confident about my knowledge of public relations and communications as a whole.
Could you share a moment you’ve experienced in which you have felt that Rowan is a welcoming environment for you? I felt welcomed at Rowan immediately, starting with move-in day. I’m a very anxious person, so I didn’t think I would be able to meet many people on move in day, but my RA set up a ton of great events to make sure the people on our floor all got close with each other. Through this experience I was able to meet 
people early who I’m still close with today.
Why did you choose Rowan? My older sister led the way for me through most things in my life, including my college decision. After seeing the friends my sister made and the opportunities that Rowan presented her, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of.
What’s your favorite thing about your typical Monday at Rowan? SGA Meetings have to be my favorite thing about Monday at Rowan. As an SGA Senator, I have the responsibility to go to biweekly Senate meetings where I vote on some of Rowan’s most important issues. On weeks where there isn’t a Senate meeting, I meet with SGA’s Public Relations and Special Events Committee to come up with ideas on ways to promote and put together some of Rowan’s upcoming events.
On your busiest day, what academic, non-academic and social responsibilities are you juggling? My busiest days normally consist of juggling social media posts, emails and meetings for the clubs I’m a part of on campus. Along with this is classwork, homework and studying presentations for my classes. Though my busy schedule can be stressful at times, I always make sure to take time out of everyday to hang out with the great friends I’ve made at Rowan, even if it’s just grabbing lunch at the cafeteria.
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Story and photography by:
Alyssa Bauer, senior public relations major