On December 1, The Agency’s end-of-fall-semester client presentations at the DOME's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship demonstrated communications expertise, creativity and high-level strategies developed by the student-powered firm. The live audience event on the Mount Carmel Campus capped a semester of coursework and teamwork on creative campaigns designed to solve challenges and boost results for commercial, nonprofit, and university clients.

Established in 2018 as a course at the School of Communications, The Agency’s client list has grown over the years to include nationally recognized brands as well as regional and local organizations. 

The course is co-taught by The Agency’s co-CEOs and faculty advisors Hilary Fussell Sisco, professor of Public Relations, and John Powers, assistant professor and director of the Interactive Media and Communications graduate program. 

“We call the students in this class our young professionals, and it is really a steppingstone to that next career,” said Fussell Sisco.  

Students must apply to land a spot on The Agency’s small but mighty roster of 15 positions each semester. Working as full-service advertising, marketing and public relations organization, the class strategically supports campaign goals communicated by account executives who engage with real-world clients. To produce and implement successful campaigns, the firm’s teams leverage skills spanning web design, social media content, storytelling, graphic design, copywriting, multimedia production, branding, problem-solving, analysis and more.

“This is experiential learning on steroids,” Powers said. “This is real, active work with clients. It’s not just a class project or even an internship. They are in charge as account executives and as vice presidents of all the different areas of the firm. They’re providing services, coming up with strategies, meeting with the clients, and building the relationships out in the real world.” 

Fussell Sisco said the end-of-semester client presentations represent a transitional moment in their education.

“It’s taking all of the coursework that they’ve learned, and all their expertise because they come from so many different backgrounds, and moving them into being job-ready and ready for that next step.  So we’re super excited that they get to show off and really show everything they’ve learned not only in this class, but what they’ve learned in their respective fields across Quinnipiac,” Fussell Sisco said.

Client projects created by The Agency this semester included:

• Managing social media content for Tour de Connecticut, a four day, 200-mile bike ride in September which showcased innovation across the state for client Connecticut Innovations, the state’s venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for innovative, growing companies.
•  Raising area employer and area college student awareness about summer internship housing opportunities on the York Hill Campus offered as an initiative of Quinnipiac Conferences and Events.
• Increasing single-stream recycling customers, offering other services, and building brand awareness in Massachusetts markets for family-owned All-American Waste.
•  A publicity campaign and brand identification logo designed for the Central European Institute at Quinnipiac University to raise awareness about community opportunities and global connections it represents.
• An internal campaign promoting The Agency and its tagline, “The Best of the Best,” including launching a new podcast series, “Beyond the Best” and developing the podcast logo.

All-American Waste executive team member Emily Jacques said the work The Agency team put in to meet the company’s needs was amazing, across the board. The work included producing research outcomes, reviving the company website and creating awareness and community through social media, direct mail and a calendar of special events.

"We’re super appreciative of what they produced. The enthusiasm was electric the whole time,” Jacques said.

“They were absolutely fantastic,” agreed Maddie Bond, All-American Waste outreach specialist. “I’m very impressed by the level of professionalism shown by all the students. It didn’t feel like working with students. It felt like working with polished professionals. I think that’s a great testament to what the instructors are doing here, and this program as a whole. It’s building a lot of opportunity for the students.”

As Quinnipiac faculty and clients of The Agency this semester, Central European Institute Director and István Széchenyi Chair Christopher Ball, and Novak Family Polish Chair Gedeon Werner said they were incredibly impressed with the firm’s professionalism and results.  

“They helped us to present the whole picture, and put a strategy in place,” Werner said. 
“They were professional from the beginning to the end,” said Ball. “They helped us to organize and gave us a path forward.”

Communications major Morgan Kolomer, ’26 MBA ’27, said she gained unparalleled experience as a co-account executive working with Connecticut Innovations, Quinnipiac Conferences and Events, and the Central European Institute at Quinnipiac University this semester. 

“I’ve gained so much project management experience and valuable professional experience. I’ve been able to work with our diverse teams and relay that information to our client, and I’ve learned a lot about managing time and deadlines and turning our clients’ goals and missions into hard assets,” said Kolomer. 

As a co-account executive, public relations major Timothy Patrick, ’26, MBA ’27, said The Agency elevated his Quinnipiac journey and provided an impactful opportunity to operate as a professional.

“It was just a great experience. I learned how to get hands-on experience and work with real-life clients. I really loved working with every team, and being part of a big, collaborative group that really did feel like a professional organization. It didn’t feel like I was in college, it felt like I was in an internship at a job,” Patrick said.

As The Agency’s vice president of photo and video, political science major Nicholas Pestritto, ’26, was focused on the firm’s visual aspects of production. Pestritto said he appreciated the impactful experience that comes with being a part of The Agency.
“I really enjoyed being in a professional organization, and working for real companies is rewarding. I feel like I was doing real work for a real organization, and it prepared me for what I want to do in the future,” said Pestritto, a photographer and multimedia content creator.

Louis Stamoulis ’23, MS ’24 said his experience as an account executive during two semesters with The Agency led to his communications career as a relationship manager with nonprofit The CrossRoad Institute in his native Massachusetts. As an accelerated dual degree (3+1) student, Stamoulis earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a master’s degree in public relations at Quinnipiac.

“In every single job interview I went on, The Agency came up, because as one of the students today said, how often do you get client experience at college?” Stamoulis said. “So I don’t think of this as a class at all. This is a real marketing, advertising and public relations agency.” 

Stamoulis has made a point of coming back to Quinnipiac to see each of The Agency’s end-of-semester presentations. 

“I come back every time because of everything The Agency’s done for me. It really paved the road for my professional life currently, and hopefully in the future, too. So I just love to come back and to continue to support them,” said Stamoulis.

All-American Waste co-account executive Julia Kloss ’26, MS ’27, said she was extremely grateful for the unique opportunity to join The Agency. The 3+1 Advertising and Integrated Communications major will earn her master’s degree in public relations.

“Although this is a class for credit, it was wonderful to have that outside of the classroom experience working with external people, and to have real-life work that was going to real people far away from us,” said Kloss. “I never thought I’d be working with a trash hauling company, but it was really cool and a great way to expand my portfolio and to understand the industry from different sectors and different types of thought. Being a student but being treated like a professional really boosts your confidence.”