News and Insights
Learning by doing
July 30, 2026
FINN Global Education Practice 2026 Summer Interns
“Education powers the world—and the PR industry. FINN Partners is proud to invest in the rising talent of the future through our many internship programs. We believe the best way to learn is through hands-on experience, mentoring, and opportunities to explore. Our practices recruit incredible talent from universities across the globe. This National Interns Day, we’re proud to share the experiences and insights of the four summer interns with our Education Practice, all of whom bring diverse perspectives, strong work ethics, and thoughtful ideas to our team. The PR industry’s future is in capable hands.” – Kate Johnson, Partner
Michelle Elele
B.A., political science
The University of Texas at Dallas
Hometown: Houston, TX
Why FINN?
I chose FINN because I wanted to deepen my understanding of public relations. PR professionals play an important role in shaping how information is shared and understood, and I wanted to learn more about that process from the inside. Coming from a background in public affairs, I developed an understanding of public policy and its impact on the public through my experience in both state and federal affairs, working in policy areas including education policy. Joining FINN gave me the opportunity not only to strengthen my interpersonal, writing and research skills, but also to expand my understanding of how policy is communicated, not just generated. I was excited to gain hands-on experience in strategic communications while learning how to translate issues and news into stories and messages that are clear for different audiences.
What professional skills did you develop through your internship?
My writing skills have grown tremendously during my internship. Before coming to FINN, most of my writing experience was in legal and policy writing, which follows a very specific style. At FINN, I learned that strong writing doesn’t follow a specific format and every audience, client and project requires a different approach. I gained hands-on experience in writing media pitches for reporters, tailoring messages to different outlets and journalists, and spotting what makes a story newsworthy. I also strengthened my research and analytical skills. Whether I was researching education topics or identifying the right reporters for a client, I learned how to conduct thorough research, analyze information and apply it strategically.
How do you feel your internship prepares you for your future, and what do you want to do more of?
This internship has prepared me for my future by strengthening my adaptability and critical thinking. I learned how to evaluate what information is relevant for a project and how to adjust my approach depending on the client, audience or communication goal. Nothing in communications is one-size-fits-all, and learning to adapt has been one of the most valuable lessons from this experience. As I continue in my career, I hope to combine my experience in the legal and public relations fields to further develop my research, writing and analytical skills while helping communicate important stories and ideas.
What are you most proud of accomplishing while at FINN?
I am proud of successfully pitching Babson College’s new MSBC degree program as my first media pitch, which was featured in the Financial Times’ Business School Insider newsletter. It was exciting to see something I worked on lead to real media coverage and made me feel like I was making a meaningful contribution to the team.
FINN’s Global Education Practice serves the full continuum of education. What issue have you taken the most interest in or been surprised to learn more about?
Throughout the duration of my internship, I helped create daily education news clips and it surprised me to discover how much valuable and reliable journalism is hidden behind paywalls. For many people, this represents a barrier to access the news. It made me think about how financial barriers affect the public’s ability to stay informed. If people cannot easily access full articles, they may rely only on headlines or social media summaries, which can increase the spread of misinformation or leave important context out of public conversations. This experience has made me more interested in the relationship between media accessibility, public understanding and informed decision-making.
What is one insight you would want people to know about working in education PR?
One thing I have learned is that education PR requires constant adaptability. Education as a whole changes quickly, and it is important to stay informed while tailoring messages to different audiences, reporters and issues. Education PR is about much more than promoting institutions, products or policies. For example, during my time at FINN, I learned that having a good story is only one part of the process. Finding the right reporters to pitch and communicating the story effectively are just as important. This experience has helped me sharpen my attention to detail because reporters, news cycles and priorities are constantly changing. Paying close attention to those changes helps ensure effective communication not only with clients but also with journalists.
Kaitlyn Sze Tu
B.A., journalism and political science
New York University
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Why FINN?
I was excited to join FINN because I wanted to apply my background in student journalism to media relations and help clients tap into the leading news trends in their sector. At NYU, I covered how universities were adapting to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning for the student newspaper, which made me feel that being an intern for FINN’s Global Education Practice was a perfect intersection of my interests and skills. Education institutions are currently at the forefront of conversations about technology shaping the future of work, and I am excited to help clients tap into the audience’s curiosity about the new wave of digital learning.
What professional skills did you develop through your internship?
While supporting our higher education clients’ media relations efforts, I strengthened my ability to pitch subject matter experts for media opportunities in science and technology. The university researchers I worked with had highly specialized expertise in topics like quantum physics and AI technology. I was able to create useful sound bites based on their knowledge for journalists to include in their coverage. In addition, I learned to quantify the audience reach metrics of the secured media opportunities, which allowed the team to evaluate and showcase our success to the clients.
How do you feel your internship prepares you for your future, and what do you want to do more of?
What I enjoyed most about this internship was building my entrepreneurial spirit. From day one, the team encouraged me to pitch ideas for press opportunities, as well as get involved with client engagement. I adapted to the fast-paced news cycle and learned to be more proactive in connecting with journalists. I tapped into several breaking news pitches to help secure coverage. Meanwhile, I realized how crucial relationship-building is in the PR world. During client meetings, I observed how senior team members establish trust and gather feedback on the clients’ media relations goals and needs. I have challenged myself to frame stories that align the clients’ latest initiatives with current education news.
What are you most proud of accomplishing while at FINN?
I am most proud of my market research for a media pitching effort in a region where our clients wanted expanded support. I was tasked with conducting market research, in which I analyzed local media coverage on education to identify our core audience. I then built a database of past coverage and the corresponding beat reporters, which helped shape the pitching strategy. I felt challenged and supported to deliver my best work while navigating unfamiliarity. I was able to expand my knowledge of regional education issues and become more confident in sharing the insights I’ve gained from research, as well as identifying media opportunities.
FINN’s Global Education Practice serves the full continuum of education. What issue have you taken the most interest in or been surprised to learn more about?
I’ve been most interested in how higher education is being reshaped by the integration of AI in learning right now. Students are increasingly feeling pressure to be fully equipped with AI fluency by the time they graduate and enter the workforce. I am curious about the innovations in workforce development programs and the rising interest in skilled trades and apprenticeships. I want to explore how students can prepare themselves to find the most compatible career path and access the resources they need to succeed.
What is one insight you would want people to know about working in education PR?
I believe that education PR is a critical gateway for educators and organizations to be able to communicate their impact, as well as how they can help students seek the best learning opportunities and resources. I am surrounded by individuals who are highly specialized in the policy issues of education and deeply passionate about expanding access to quality schooling. I think it is crucial to be informed about education news and apply knowledge of the latest developments — whether within classrooms or in government policy — to cultivate new conversations in the field.
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At FINN Partners, we specialize in translating complex systemic shifts into compelling, data-driven narratives. Whether you need to build community coalitions, advocate for essential policy changes, or launch targeted campaigns that resonate with parents, educators and policymakers, our experienced team is ready to embed with your mission. Fill out the form below to get in touch and see how we can help your organization protect the promise of education and drive meaningful change in your community.