UMSL Students Build PR Portfolios in Student-Run Agency

University of Missouri, St. Louis student Elaney Reed arrived on campus in fall 2025 with uncertainty about her career path. By December 2026, she plans to accept her diploma with confidence, a shift she credits to more than a year of practical work with a student-run public relations firm.

Jill Alexander launched The Barnett Agency in 2019 to address a specific gap in the student workforce. Many UMSL students balance full-time jobs or long commutes, making traditional internships difficult to obtain. Alexander, a teaching professor and PR certificate coordinator, created the agency to provide accessible professional experience. The firm is named after late UMSL Chancellor Marguerite Ross Barnett.

The agency operates as a paid employment opportunity rather than a class project. Students apply through the UMSL Career Services Handshake platform and interview with Alexander. Current staff includes Reed, Trinity Atkins, Kebeb Zimmerman, Belma Mujakic, and Jaela Franklin. These students typically work 10 to 15 hours per week. The agency currently serves two on-campus clients, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center and the Center for Psychological Growth, which receive services without a fee.

Work at the agency extends beyond social media posts. Students develop content strategies, design graphics, produce videos, and participate in client meetings. They learn to navigate approval processes and manage digital asset libraries. Alexander oversees all work and aims to expand the client base to include community organizations in the future.

Vince Costa, a May 2024 graduate, credited the agency with launching his career. He worked there for three semesters and now serves as a corporate marketing and communication specialist at Flat Branch Home Loans. Costa stated that the experience helped him secure additional internships and build a portfolio that competitors lacked. "Getting experience in PR before you graduate is so important," Costa said.

Brittany Gurkan, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center's community engagement and operations coordinator, noted an increase in attendance at Entrepreneurship Club events following the partnership. She valued the students' ability to enhance project engagement. "What I appreciate most is the excitement, creativity and fresh perspectives they bring to every project," Gurkan said. Alexander maintains that the agency serves as a safe environment for students to make mistakes before entering the formal workforce.