PR Student Follows Passion with Two Start-Ups on Campus

As a PR and Advertising double major with minors in Mandarin and Strategic Communications, junior Brittany Eng of West Orange, NJ (Essex County) always knew that writing would play a huge role in her future endeavors. She enjoyed creative writing throughout high school and into college, and writing has always been her strongest skill. How did she narrow down her passions to a specific career path? “I wanted to study something that would allow me to write often and express my creativity,” she says. “There are so many different paths you can take with PR and advertising, and I like the creative freedom it offers.”

Through a recommendation by another professor, Brittany teamed up with Writing Arts department Professor Megan Atwood to contribute her passion towards a project that makes a difference. They worked over the summer with a handful of other students to develop Singularity Press, a startup that provides a creative voice for people who are underrepresented in the publishing industry, after receiving a SEED grant through Rowan. Brittany’s main responsibilities include “world building” and brainstorming ways to market Singularity, keeping up to date on the platforms and genres that appeal to young adults, and researching and applying for grants to fund the brand. “Singularity is a small change that creates a big effect through ripples,” says Brittany, “and that’s why these grants are so important for us. They help provide funding for scholarships for marginalized students interested in publishing and literature.”

For Brittany, coffee is the fuel to get her through her busy schedule!

When she’s not working with Singularity Press, Brittany helps manage social media promotion for Rowan student-built brand, Topos Teas. She also finds partners to collaborate with, designs marketing materials and attends special events as a Topos ambassador. Brittany seized the opportunity to work with this startup when its founders, Mike Lombardo and Kayvon Jahanbakhsh, spoke at an Advertising Dynamics club meeting about marketing their brand. “There are times where we are bouncing ideas off of each other and have an a-ha moment,” Brittany says of her weekly Topos meetings. “It’s nice to see our ideas become something real that we can all be proud of.”

From classes to clubs, Brittany is making the most out of her time at Rowan by going after exciting chances to gain real experience and enhance her portfolio. “Watching your work directly affect and benefit others is a great feeling, and it’s something so particular to smaller companies and startups like the ones I am working with now,” she says. When it comes to career opportunities on campus, Brittany has valuable advice:

“Keep your options open and be proactive about looking for more. It’s easy to get too involved and drown in obligations, so don’t be afraid to say no if a certain opportunity is not what you are looking for. Stay focused on your end goal upon graduation.”

Brittany and her team at Singularity Press are looking to attend various book conventions to network and spread the word about their impactful mission. If you’re interested in helping them get there, they are currently accepting donations.

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Story and photography by:
Nicole Cier, junior writing arts major

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