“You must always be at the end of the list, huh?”
“I bet you’ve never met someone with the same last name before, have you?”
“Your last name sucks.”
All right, I made up that last comment, but you get the point. Whenever I introduce myself, the first thing people comment on is my last name: Zwink. But there is much more to me than my unique last name.
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When I was a young girl, I was unknowingly doing public relations work. As I played with Barbie dolls and included my brothers’ action figures to make the scene more interesting, I sought to manage each make-believe scenario perfectly. Unpaid, of course, I would force my younger brother to play with the Ken doll.
Unbeknownst to him, I was about to dictate every line Ken would say so the scene would unfold exactly as I envisioned. This early experience taught me the importance of communication, strategy and meticulous planning—skills that have only deepened as I’ve pursued a career in public relations and media law.
My name is Veronica Zwink, and I am a public relations professional who strives to help brands and organizations connect with their audiences through authentic, strategy-driven storytelling that cuts through the noise.
Public relations allows me to combine my passion for writing and the entertainment industry to create memorable storytelling. I come from a creative background and have always been driven to use my colorful mind to craft stories people remember, so public relations was a natural path for me.
I plan to use public relations as a strong foundation for my future goal of attending law school, where I hope to become an entertainment and media lawyer. By focusing on my skills in writing and strategy, I will have a strong understanding of the entertainment field as I enter this next stage of my education.
Throughout my time at the University of Oklahoma, I have intentionally worked to amplify voices that are often unheard. As lead social coordinator at The OU Daily, I managed content for an audience of more than 2.43 million, using the platform to highlight stories and perspectives frequently overlooked by traditional media. My internships at creative media agencies, such as VI Marketing and Branding and Robot House Creative, further strengthened my ability to communicate with purpose—crafting messages that inform and uplift.
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I have also told stories on a national level, collaborating with OU’s Marketing and Communications Department and the OKC Thunder to showcase narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide. At Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the nation’s top-ranked mass media college, I have honed the skill of uncovering and sharing the story behind every hesitant smile. Through digital storytelling and strategic campaigns, I have come to understand the power of representation and the importance of amplifying marginalized voices—values I intend to carry with me into the practice of law.
Throughout all of this, however, I believe this is just the beginning of my path in public relations.
But if, after reading all of this, the only thing you remember about me is my last name, just remember: you can’t spell Zwink without “win.”
