Ferris State University graduate Samantha Bankey knows all about the power of social
media. She just didn’t expect to be the focus of it.
Just a few days after Bankey participated in commencement ceremonies May 11 at Ferris, digital engagement agency ePrize posted a picture on Instagram offering its former intern a full-time job.
“A phone call or email would have sufficed just fine,” said Bankey, of Romulus. “My team at ePrize knew this would be a great way to offer the job to me, since I love social media.”
The post on the photo-sharing social media platform, which ePrize also shared on its other social media channels, has since drawn national attention. That post alone has been shared close to 3,000 times.
“I’ve gained lots of Twitter followers and 20 Instagram followers,” said Bankey, whose family and friends shared the job offer on their social media networks. “It’s cool seeing people write blogs about it, too.”
Bankey, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Ferris, worked last summer as an intern at ePrize, a national company based in Pleasant Ridge, in the Detroit area. It is one of nine public relations-related jobs and internships she had during her college career.
Bankey studied advertising and marketing at Michigan State University before deciding to pursue public relations. The Public Relations major at Ferris is one of the only programs in the nation offered as a business curriculum and the only one in Michigan to be certified by the Public Relations Society of America, the nation’s largest network of PR practitioners.
“After watching and getting hooked on MTV’s ‘The City’ starring Whitney Port, I wanted to do fashion PR,” Bankey said. “When I learned that Ferris State’s program was in the College of Business and was nationally accredited, I was sold.”
During her time at Ferris, Bankey was actively involved in the Public Relations Student Society of America. She served as social media manager her junior year and as vice president of Chapter Development her senior year. She also co-founded the Student Fashion Alliance.
Bankey said the position at ePrize is a direct result of Ferris’ Public Relations program, her involvement with PRSSA and the advisement of associate professor Patrick Bishop.
“Bishop pushed me to get an internship early, and he also pushed the importance of networking and maintaining relationships,” Bankey said. “The PR program and PRSSA have really prepared me for the PR-world through classes and projects.”
When she saw the posting for a job opening at ePrize, Bankey was quick to apply. And to make sure Bankey, who follows ePrize on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, didn’t miss the offer, ePrize tagged her in the photo’s caption: “We’d love for you to be our new Marketing Coordinator. #eprize @sambankey.”
Her response?
“Ehh, no thanks. : )”
Then: “JK.”