UR junior merges business with creativity to intern at Brooklyn PR firm
Donor support made a dream summer internship possible for Olivia Felder, who worked in entertainment publicity for Shore Fire Media.
August 25, 2026
Before her summer internship with Brooklyn-based public relations firm Shore Fire Media, junior Olivia Felder thought PR was just pitching stories and securing media coverage.
Now, she says that successfully practicing PR requires effective communication, creativity, and a deep understanding of your client’s goals as part of an evolving media landscape.
“It’s important to know your client outside of what they do,” said Felder, a business administration major from New York City. “Learning about their hobbies, interests, and personal experiences can uncover new angles and opportunities for pitching them.”
As an entertainment publicity intern, Felder worked with clients in music, food, publishing, and more, including guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop, and fashion entrepreneur and author Kerry Docherty. She researched media contacts, built press lists, tracked client coverage, and drafted pitches and press materials.
Notably, Felder supported the revival of Brooklyn’s CBGB Festival – a one-day live music event that celebrates the legacy of the New York City punk club CBGB – and designed an internal graphic for Bleecker Bell, a live music venue opening in Greenwich Village this fall.
“I spent about three weeks working on the design, incorporating feedback, and perfecting it,” she said. “I loved getting to be creative while making something genuinely useful.”
Her greatest accomplishment, she said, was collaborating with other interns on a final project in which they pitched a new media outlet – the dating and lifestyle podcast We Met at Acme – to the entire company. Felder researched the podcast and its audience and identified Shore Fire clients who could be a good fit to appear as guests.
“Presenting my research pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me become more confident,” she said. “I was proud to take everything I learned this summer and apply it to a project that combined research, strategy, collaboration, and public speaking.”
Funding for Felder’s internship was provided by UR’s donor-supported Richmond Guarantee program, which ensures that every undergraduate student can complete a summer internship or faculty-mentored research experience before they graduate. This summer, more than 600 students participated and the average award was $4,632.
“I am incredibly grateful that donor support allows Richmond students like me to pursue meaningful experiences that help connect our education to our futures,” she said. “Thank you for investing in my education and professional growth.”
Now, she says that successfully practicing PR requires effective communication, creativity, and a deep understanding of your client’s goals as part of an evolving media landscape.
“It’s important to know your client outside of what they do,” said Felder, a business administration major from New York City. “Learning about their hobbies, interests, and personal experiences can uncover new angles and opportunities for pitching them.”
As an entertainment publicity intern, Felder worked with clients in music, food, publishing, and more, including guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop, and fashion entrepreneur and author Kerry Docherty. She researched media contacts, built press lists, tracked client coverage, and drafted pitches and press materials.
Notably, Felder supported the revival of Brooklyn’s CBGB Festival – a one-day live music event that celebrates the legacy of the New York City punk club CBGB – and designed an internal graphic for Bleecker Bell, a live music venue opening in Greenwich Village this fall.
“I spent about three weeks working on the design, incorporating feedback, and perfecting it,” she said. “I loved getting to be creative while making something genuinely useful.”
Her greatest accomplishment, she said, was collaborating with other interns on a final project in which they pitched a new media outlet – the dating and lifestyle podcast We Met at Acme – to the entire company. Felder researched the podcast and its audience and identified Shore Fire clients who could be a good fit to appear as guests.
“Presenting my research pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me become more confident,” she said. “I was proud to take everything I learned this summer and apply it to a project that combined research, strategy, collaboration, and public speaking.”
Funding for Felder’s internship was provided by UR’s donor-supported Richmond Guarantee program, which ensures that every undergraduate student can complete a summer internship or faculty-mentored research experience before they graduate. This summer, more than 600 students participated and the average award was $4,632.
“I am incredibly grateful that donor support allows Richmond students like me to pursue meaningful experiences that help connect our education to our futures,” she said. “Thank you for investing in my education and professional growth.”