HRManjgura Opens its Doors to Edward Bernays’ Students
After a signed agreement with the Edward Bernays College of Communication Management, their first students started coming in for to Manjgura for their practical experience. Domagoj Bunčić, a student from the “Public Relations” graduate studies, talks about his experiences in Manjgura.
Edward Bernays’ dean Damir Jugo and Krešimir Macan
You are one of the first Bernays students who started attending student practice. When you opened the system and were faced with numerous opportunities and PR agencies, what was the first thing that went through your mind? Was it difficult to select an agency where you would do your internship?
The first thing that went through my mind was – what a selection! Then I started studying all the activities of each agency and selected Manjgura because it offers all services in its portfolio – crisis communication, media relations, the organization of PR events, political advertising and many others. Guest lecture by Krešimir Macan at Bernays just further confirmed my decision.
Do you remember your fist day and your expectations? Were you nervous and careful of all the details – from the clothes you were going to wear to things you were going to say?
I remember my first day; you don’t forget something like that. 🙂 Of course, I was a little nervous, we all feel nervous when we do something we care about. Other interns and employees at Manjgura helped me to fit into the team with their openness and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their help. I came dressed as a typical student, jeans and sneakers, there is no special dress code at Manjgura but they do care for neatness.
You were introduced to the theoretical part of public relations in your lectures. Now at the agency you have the chance to see, first hand, what the life of a PR person is like in practice. Do theory and practice complement each other and how much is practical work different than theory?
Theory and practical work absolutely complement each other. All the things I heard from our teachers during lectures I was able to see in practice. Even though, I must admit, professors at Bernays are all people with practical experience that easily and colourfully depict their practical experience so connecting them to theory does not represent a problem. So, the theory is different from practice only in the amount in which the lecturer finds it easy or difficult to depict it.
You came to the agency with certain expectations. Have they changed and by how much? Did you maintain that same enthusiasm you had in the beginning? Do you still want to pursue a career in PR?
My expectations haven’t changed; they are still high. My enthusiasm is only growing with time because each day brings new challenges and makes me richer with new experiences and knowledge. Internship definitely reinforced my decision to work in PR.
Did Bernays meet your expectations? What are the things you like the most?
Bernays set the bar pretty high right from the start so my expectations increased. As the academic year is passing, I am more and more convinced of the program’s quality that sets it apart from all other educational institutions that don’t offer anything similar. My absolute favourite is the way theoretical know-how is connected to practical experience, whether it be through workshops, practical classes and, of course, internships that are the cherry on top of our student days.
