What No One Tells New Grads About Crisis Communication (And Life)

May 14, 2025 · 25 min

Last week, my daughter graduated from Loyola University Chicago. After years of watching her build a life—on the field, on the sidelines, in the center of the action—she’s stepping into the real world. And like so many graduates right now, she’s walking in with drive, uncertainty, and a digital footprint that started long before her first job offer.

This episode is a message to her—and to every graduate who needs a little direction that’s not sugarcoated. It’s a life list. The same one I’ve given my own kids (sometimes more than once). The same one I use with clients in crisis.

In this episode:

The top three questions students (and parents) ask me after every keynoteWhy your degree matters less than how well you can read a roomThe habits and mindsets that actually keep reputations intactWhat to say in your first “I don’t know what to do” moment at workAnd the one thing every Gen Z grad needs to hear—especially those shaped by the pandemic years

This is not motivational filler. It’s a real list for the real world. Send it to your grad. Save it for your kid. Or come back to it when your own clarity runs low.Read the entire list here on my PR Breakdown Substack: What No One Tells New Grads About Crisis Communication (And Life)

Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/