2023-2024 Noemi Pollack Scholarship Awarded To Matthew Calma, A USC Junior Committed To Social Change

The Pollack Group is proud to announce Matthew Calma, a junior at the University of Southern California (USC), has been named the recipient of the prestigious Noemi Pollack Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Calma is pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a major in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising through USC’s Progressive Degree Program. He is determined to use his education to make a difference in the world, using his PR skillset as a lightning rod for social impact. He recently interned at Woodside on the Move, a grassroots community organization in Queens, NY, and in the office of John Brooks, a former New York state senator.

His interest in PR was ignited by a research project where he dedicated a full year to developing a policy proposal for New York’s city council. He discovered many solutions already exist to help end the city’s homelessness crisis, but realized they were not being implemented or communicated effectively. Calma feels the most effective way to tackle this issue is by persuading people to support strong policy.

At the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Calma has been working with the USC Center for Public Relations, where he has contributed to multiple valuable industry projects. Next semester, he intends to conduct further research with the Center that examines how we can change the language around homelessness to alter public perception.

Calma admits that receiving the Noemi Pollack Scholarship has been a humbling recognition and validates the path he is on. He is fascinated by Pollack’s life story and sees her as an inspiration that exceeds the industry standard.

“Receiving the Noemi Pollack Scholarship is an honor that energizes me to continue pursuing my goals at USC. I admire Noemi’s groundbreaking approach to PR and all her success that has come with The Pollack Group, which will continue to motivate me as I look to start my own career soon.”

The Noemi Pollack Scholarship is a merit-based tuition scholarship awarded annually by The Pollack Group to PR students who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their academic and extracurricular pursuits. The scholarship provides financial support and mentorship to help recipients achieve their career goals and make a meaningful impact in the PR industry.

“Calma’s dedication to tackling complex issues and his personal goal to make a positive difference in the world aligns perfectly with the values we aim to embody at our agency,” added Noemi Pollack, founder and CEO of The Pollack Group. “I feel confident that his talent, passion, and drive should greatly impact our industry.”

As Calma enters the 2023 fall semester at USC, he remains committed to his vision of using PR as a tool for social change. When asked what advice he would give to younger students looking to pursue a similar path, he said, “Think about what you’re doing with intention. Don’t just network for the sheer sake of it, but actually create meaningful relationships. Quality friends and mentors encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and uplift you when you make mistakes, and I would not be here without them.”