“I was the girl in every class who was making all of my assignments about music,” said media studies and production (MSP) graduate student Caitlin McGeehan, KLN ’22. “My professors could always expect a music-public-relations-related assignment from me.” 

After three years as a public relations undergraduate student, McGeehan hopped right into the MSP master’s program in fall 2022. Like many students, McGeehan always kept her eye out for scholarships that could help her in her pursuit of a higher degree.  

McGeehan took MSP 2663: The Recording Industry and Music Business with Adjunct Instructor James Donio, KLN ’77, her freshman year and credits Donio and the course with leading her to other classes that would let her explore her passion for music and the industry surrounding it.  

“I think she thrived in my class because it was feeding her interest throughout the semester,” Donio said.  

In addition to taking music industry classes, McGeehan also got involved with the Music Business Club. Donio, the advisor of the club, noted her incredible attention to detail and impressive writing skills as qualities that made her stand out amongst his many students.  

Donio often recommends that students like McGeehan apply for scholarships from the Music Business Association and after a few years of applying, McGeehan was finally awarded the national scholarship from the organization this past spring.  

McGeehan has always had an interest in music, and from the moment she learned that public relations professionals were needed in the music scene, she knew she found the career for her.  

As an undergraduate student, McGeehan took advantage of many experiences that Klein College of Media and Communication had to offer. Despite much of her time at Temple University being virtual, McGeehan remained steadfast in her involvement with WHIP, Temple’s student-run radio station, and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). 

At WHIP, McGeehan moved up from a member of the promotions and events team to the assistant general manager of the station. Over the last four years, she has also hosted several on-air shows and even created the annual Rocktober Battle of the Bands competition.  

McGeehan was also an active member of PRSSA, serving on the digital team and as vice president during her time at Temple. The club, she said, reinforced everything she was learning in her public relations classes.  

“I had a sense that she really knew what she wanted to do,” said Associate Professor of Practice and PRSSA Advisor Gregg Feistman. Though he certainly noticed McGeehan’s passion for music, he noted that her curiosities also led her to explore other parts of the industry.  

In addition to her extracurricular involvement, McGeehan pursued an internship as a marketing assistant at Philly PR Girl. After reaching out to an artist and their publicist for an assignment there, she made a connection that turned into an internship with Atom Splitter PR. McGeehan also took her talents to WRTI for a marketing internship, and the three experiences have helped her realize that she would like to work in alternative rock or metal music scenes.  

When deciding what to do after completing her undergraduate degree in 2022, the business track of the MSP master’s program piqued her interest. Studying the music industry, she said, will help her better understand who she is pitching to and what effect she can have on the wider media landscape. 

Another part of McGeehan’s graduate experience has been as a public relations representative for °1824 Universal Music Group. °1824 is Universal Music Groups’ culture marketing and creative strategy division. McGeehan works part-time to develop creative strategies to help improve the campus radio stations and publications. Students like her also take their work off-campus and assist with services that include content creation, public relations and creator and strategic partnerships. 

McGeehan’s time at Temple may be coming to a close when she finishes her master’s this spring, but she knows that her experiences at Temple have prepared her well for whatever is in store. 

“I have no doubt she’ll be successful in whatever she wants to do,” Feistman said.