Written by Ava Steneken
As I become more immersed in the public relations industry in Philadelphia, a city known for its strong sense of community, I have come to recognize the deep relationship between community service and storytelling. As a rising senior at Temple University and a member of their Community Service Association, and now as a Public Relations intern at Maven Communications, I’ve learned that some of the most impactful communication comes from stepping out of the office and into the communities we serve.
The Importance of Giving Back
Community service work has shown me that giving back does more than support others, it helps us become more intentional, empathetic, and effective communicators. In PR, we often talk about the importance of authenticity, but real storytelling doesn’t come from market research or theory, it comes from genuine human connection.
At Temple, volunteering through campus programs gave me firsthand insight into Philadelphia neighborhoods and their close-knit bonds. Whether it was joining city clean-up efforts or lending a hand at local nonprofits, these experiences helped me learn how to listen with intention, understand different perspectives, and build real connections, skills that have shaped the way I engage with the world around me both personally and professionally.
Channeling Experience into Storytelling
As an intern at Maven, I’m seeing how this same commitment to service plays out on an agency-wide scale. From leadership to interns, everyone participates in initiatives that support our local community. This shared experience fosters a sense of purpose that both strengthens the team internally and improves external outputs. There’s a sense of collaboration and understanding that comes from working side-by-side in the community that influences how the team approaches client projects, brainstorming, and problem-solving.
I have also observed how this service-oriented mindset helps build more thoughtful partnerships with clients, especially nonprofit organizations. Through hands-on experience in the community, Maven’s work is grounded in empathy and relevance. Whether it’s through crafting compassionate messaging or strategizing for an upcoming campaign, there’s an added layer of insight and care that comes from lived experience. By grounding our work in real-world connection, we’re able to tell stories that don’t just inform, but uplift the people and causes behind them.
Client Impact Through Connection
In PR, effective messaging requires clarity, cultural awareness, and empathy. Community involvement offers PR professionals a direct line to the values of the people we aim to reach. By engaging with these communities, we gain a better understanding of tone, language, and context. These insights help us create stories and strategies that resonate with audiences. For clients, this means more thoughtful messaging, stronger audience alignment, and campaigns that genuinely reflect the people they serve.
Ultimately, community service helps us become not just better communicators, but better people. It pushes us to be more curious, more reflective, and more in tune with the world around us, and in a field like public relations, those qualities are essential. As I continue learning and growing during my internship at Maven, I’m grateful to be part of a team that values this kind of personal and professional development. I’ve seen firsthand how community involvement shapes campaigns, strengthens teams, and deepens relationships, and I’m learning how service can transform not just the stories we tell, but how we tell them.
Posted In Community Impact, Public Relations