Student-led CommsCon 2025 connects Leeds Beckett PR students with top industry professionals

Organised by the Leeds Beckett PR Society, the two-day event brought together students and leading PR agencies from across Leeds and Manchester for a programme of panel discussions, workshops, a keynote presentation and a live pitch competition. 

The event was created by a team of MA Public Relations and Strategic Communication students from the Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett who relaunched the PR Society in September 2024. Their goal was clear: to help fellow students feel more supported and confident as they take the next steps into internships, placements and graduate roles. 

Sound Ritzman, President of the PR Society and a Junior Account Executive at PR agency GOLD79, said: “It has been so rewarding working with my course mates to put on this conference. A huge thank you goes to so many people including my course leader Rudiger Theilmann, all the agencies who came as panellists or speakers and of course, GOLD79 for supporting me with the pitch competition. I'm hoping it's something that will continue in the next years, but for now, I'm very proud of the success of this inaugural event.”

CommsCon featured a keynote on digital PR campaigns, two panel discussions – one focussed on navigating the transition from student to professional, and the other on creativity in communications – as well as informal network and Q&A opportunities. Seven PR agencies took part, including Aberfield, iseepr, Definition, Prohibition, GOLD79, Wavemaker UK and Source.

The event concluded with a live pitch competition in partnership with GOLD79. Students responded to a creative brief and presented to a panel of agency judges. Third-year BA (Hons) Marketing & Public Relations students Charlotte Smith and Leslie Anaglavi were named winners. 

Rudiger Theilmann, Course Leader for MA Public Relations and Strategic Communication, said: “CommsCon showcased that Leeds Beckett University is at the forefront of PR education. By organising a two-day event with industry experts from leading PR agencies in such a professional set-up, our PR students demonstrated that they are ready for the world of work. Having such a vibrant student society with talented students is an asset for PR education at LBU. By linking the professional world of PR to our university they showcase what ‘networking’ means.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director at GOLD79 added: “We’re incredibly proud of the work Sound and her team delivered. The event was well-organised, thoughtfully curated and provided a brilliant opportunity to bring students and agencies together. We were really impressed by the quality of presentations and the creativity that the students demonstrated, and we look forward to continuing to nurture young talent and to supporting the partnership for years to come.”

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