Marli Stork completed her Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin in 2013, majoring in Public Relations and Marketing and has been completing her Honours year. She was recently named the 2014 WW Mitchell Student of the Year at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) WA State Awards for Excellence.
Congratulations on your award! Describe the experience of fronting the panel and putting what you’ve learnt into practice in a situation like that?
Thank you very much! To be honest, while I would normally be quite anxious about the idea of presenting my own strategies to a panel of industry professionals, this was such a great opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge that I gained during my degree that I was ready and raring to go.
When you began as an undergraduate, what appealed to you about the course Curtin offered?
For anyone looking to study at university, it is difficult to choose between the highly competitive universities WA has to offer. After comprehensively evaluating the attributes of each university, it became clear that Curtin offered the ideal balance between theory and practice that I was looking for.
What aspects of the undergraduate course do you remember most?
A clear highlight for me is the final year unit, Public Relations Internship, which is a compulsory fieldwork component for students majoring in PR. This unit allows students to gain real-world experience in a format that fosters personal and professional growth, and equipped me with some of my most valuable lessons.
How’s it been this year doing your Honours?
Undertaking Honours is a highly challenging, yet extremely rewarding experience. The nature of Curtin’s Honours program allows students to work autonomously on a research project that they are passionate about with the guidance of an experienced mentor. I truly believe that the skills I have developed over the past year have equipped me with the advanced knowledge and confidence that I need to excel in my field, and I would strongly recommend this program to any driven student wanting to further their studies.
What skills do you feel you need to succeed in PR and in what ways does Curtin refine and improve those?
To really succeed in PR, there are a few skills that are particularly salient; you must be able to write well, you should exhibit exceptional attention to detail, you should ideally have the confidence to network, and finally you must be proactive. Whilst studying PR at Curtin, students learn how to plan and develop communication strategies, are invited to regular networking events as part of the Public Relations Student Chapter, and are offered valuable assistance when looking for work placements.
What are your plans from here?
In the short term I hope to work for one of WA’s leading PR consultancies, gaining as much industry experience as possible. Beyond that, I will work towards my ultimate goal of directing my own consultancy.
