THP 30: Shelby Giles

Program: Public Relations & Corporate Communications
Current Position: Account Supervisor, Vanguard Communications
Hometown: Richmond, VA
LinkedIn: Shelby Giles

What are the three most important skills for someone in your profession and why?

1. Listening: This has been, by far, the most important skill of my career. Some may not call it a skill, but I’d argue that it does take practice.

2. Writing: PRCC faculty member Mike Long once said that a good writer can write anything. I believe that if you can master the art of knowing your audience while also focusing on the end goal of the piece, your writing skills can take you far.

3. Data Visualization: Data analytics is here to stay. If you can learn to analyze data and use it to create inspiring communications, you are poised to make tremendous impact. I am currently taking Digital Analytics and find the course invaluable.

What has been your most unique learning experience and why?

My most unique learning experience has been my time in Georgetown’s PRCC program. When I embarked on my graduate school journey, I was ready to work hard, but I could not have anticipated the level of personal and professional growth I would experience as a result. From my first course, Ethics with Mary Stewart, I was excited that our final assignment was to chart a personal course for an ethical career. To this day, I look back to that document to ensure that I am doing what I said was most important to me—work I believe in. Now, as a cause consultant and global communicator approaching my final semester in the program, I feel uniquely equipped to lead the charge in using communications to advance the common good. I am grateful for that.