AD+PR Freshman Helps Nonprofit Through Street Teams
Ellie Striebich modernizes local nonprofit brochure and finds a new interest
By: Jasmine Dortch
As an incoming freshman at MSU, Ellie Striebich was eager to become involved on campus when she joined in fall 2021. When trying to figure out where to immerse herself, she recalled a suggestion from a family friend and Spartan. As an advertising management major with no prior experience in the field, Striebich took the suggestion, then took leap a faith and applied for the ComArtSci Media Sandbox Street Teams.
Media Sandbox Street Teams create a mutually beneficial relationship between nonprofits and students in the ComArtSci community. Nonprofits who seek help in their business are able to apply to be matched with a Street Team. The student-run Street Teams then collaborate on media projects throughout the year to execute the needs of the nonprofit.
After being accepted to a Street Team, Striebich’s group was paired with the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Through steady communication, the two groups were able to settle on a list of deliverables needed by the end of the year. The process of completing those deliverables were split up among the Street Team. Striebich was one of two main writers. She was tasked with redesigning and modernizing the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s informational booklet.
“Going into this experience as the only freshman on my team was intimidating. But I was more excited to gain my first real-world experience,” said Striebich.
The timeline of completing the assigned deliverables spanned from October to April. The Street Teams concluded the year with a presentation at the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) held at the Breslin Center. In attendance were other participating street teams, professors, scholars in the profession and nonprofits.
After this experience, Striebich says she felt her professional skillset grew tremendously. As a first-year student, she did not have prior AD+PR class experience to guide her along the way. Now in her junior year, she says she found the knowledge gained while on a Street Team set a good foundation for her future advertising classes.
“It gives a really good idea of what it would be like to collaborate with others while working for a company,” said Striebich. “I also had a really good experience working with the people of the nonprofit. Overall, it gives a good idea of what jobs could be like in the future.”
Not only was working with a Street Team an unforgettable experience for Striebich, she says it also sparked her interest in working with nonprofits in the future.
Learn more about how to participate in Media Sandbox Street Teams as a student or nonprofit online at, https://comartsci.msu.edu/StreetTeam.