Rob Wilson
Assistant Director of Athletics,Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
By Sarah Gelber, 2008
For many students internships can be a burden, but for Rob Wilson internship meant the beginning of a way of a career, a way of life and one of the most important parts of his communication degree.
"I interned with Wayne Hogan who was the sports information director at FSU. Afterward, they could never get rid of me,” Rob says.
Originally Rob’s major was chemistry, but when a fraternity brother switched his major to public relations, Rob felt compelled to do the same.
After graduating in the fall of 1983 in public relations and with a minor in chemistry, Rob worked as a graduate assistant at Florida State University. Then he moved to East Carolina for three years.
But Rob couldn’t stay away from his roots. He was soon back at FSU discovering that working for your alma mater is never as easy as it sounds.
"There’s an emotional tie when you work for your alma mater. When you lose a game you feel bad for the loss and you feel bad personally,” Rob says. “It’s hard not to take things personally when people are critical of athletes and coaches.”
It was different for the Seminole athletic administrator when he practiced sports information with a school he had not attended. The job was easier.
Nevertheless, Rob is glad to be back. He loves his work as the assistant athletic director for media and public relations, being in charge of media relations for sports. This includes press releases, media guides, game programs, statistics and even deciding who gets to cover games and who doesn’t.
Rob has some advice for future public relations graduates.
"Write, learn to write. Writing is the single, most critical skill you can have. People can write a good letter and jump to the top of the pile. Experience isn’t what really matters; it’s how you express yourself in writing. Whatever you want to be, writing will help you stand out.”