Alumnus Helps Grow the PR Program Experience for Students

“Over the past academic year his support to the center has opened up so many doors and opportunities for our students.”

In the case of alumnus Scott Pansky (’91), the phrase “Aztec for life” rings true. 

Pansky, co-founder of Allison+Partners, has become an integral partner to the School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) public relations program, excelling in his field and returning to campus to mold the next generation of Aztec public relations practitioners.

Allison+Partners is a global communications agency with more than 30 offices  and one of the industry’s leading agencies, with the resources to cater to a range of different industries. For public relations students at San Diego State University, landing an internship or professional position is a goal, and Pansky is helping provide these students with the tools to do so.

“When I graduated San Diego State in ’91, there was a real estate recession that made finding a career in public relations very difficult,” said Pansky. “I was able to leverage a school project to get an internship with City of San Diego, and I will never forget receiving a call from Glen Broom about a position at The Gable Group in which I met Scott Allison. This led to a relationship that has lasted for nearly 30 years.”

In the coming academic year, SDSU’s School of Journalism and Media Studies will offer several career tours, including planning visits to Allison+Partners locations. Pansky is also helping to coordinate panels featuring major brands as part of a collaboration with SDSU’s Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations, giving students the opportunity to sit down with industry professionals from the fields of technology, nonprofits, entertainment and government.

“Providing students with the opportunities to meet with industry leaders, learn through direct interactions is how I got my start,” Pansky continues. “Mentors like Dr. Broom helped open doors for me and paying this forward today is one of my most rewarding experiences.”

In addition to these experiences, Pansky will be coordinating a pitching boot camp to help students learn the art of media pitching and the critical skills needed to be a successful practitioner. His goal is to help students leverage what they  learn in their public relations courses and apply them to real-life scenarios to get a head start on a career.

Molly Crawford, who graduated from SDSU in December 2019, said Pansky was an influence for her and has helped her immensely.
"Scott truly exemplifies the core values of our industry," said Crawford. "A great mentor and educator, he encourages and challenges students, asking us to be innovative and creative. For a new pro like me, his influence is invaluable."

Crawford says Pansky even spent several weeks working with her to fine-tune her resume and cover letter.

Pansky currently leads the Allison+Partners Social Impact group, and has extensive experience creating cause-related initiatives and communications strategies and providing crisis counsel for nonprofit organizations. He has also developed the agency’s proprietary Corporate Socialanthropy process, designed to help brands identify social impact partners and build the foundation for long-term campaigns.

Pansky is an original patron to the Broom Center and is helping grow aspects of the program. The center was established in 2012 by Glen Broom, a leading scholar who taught at the university from 1979 to 2007 and then maintained a relationship as professor emeritus. Its mission is focused on providing real world learning opportunities for students, and supporting practitioners through workshops and other events. 

Pansky’s contributions to the JMS program and Broom Center work in parallel to provide resources and experiential learning to students.

“From the very beginning of the Broom Center, Scott Pansky has been there,” said Broom Center director Kaye Sweetser. “Over the past academic year his support to the center has opened up so many doors and opportunities for our students. Not only did he personally refer campaign clients for experiential learning opportunities but he literally opened the doors of Allison+Partners to help our students make connections up and down the entire West Coast.”