Harris PR announces third DEI bursary recipient
Annual bursary with PRII and Open Doors Initiative combines paid agency experience, professional education and mentoring to broaden access to Ireland’s PR industry
Print16 September 2026
Harris PR has announced Queenslyn Arubi as the third recipient of its annual Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Bursary.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) and Open Doors Initiative, combines a paid nine-month internship at Harris PR with a place on the PRII Diploma in Public Relations.
Arubi, a 23-year-old marketing graduate from Maynooth University, will join Harris PR this month while completing the PRII qualification and receiving professional mentoring.
The bursary was established to create a pathway into Ireland’s PR and communications industry for people from backgrounds that remain underrepresented within the sector.
Arubi graduated in 2025 and has previously gained communications experience through a year-long placement with Tourism Ireland in Copenhagen, where she supported publicity and communications activity across the Nordic markets.
She also worked with journalists, influencers and agency partners during her placement.
Commenting on the appointment, Harris PR founder and managing director – Sonia Harris Pope said the agency had received a strong response to this year’s bursary.
“Queenslyn really stood out to us. She has already gained valuable communications experience, but what impressed us most was her curiosity, determination and genuine commitment to building a career in PR,” Pope said.
She added: “We’re incredibly proud to welcome Queenslyn to the team and to continue working alongside the PRII and Open Doors Initiative to make our industry more accessible.”
Arubi said she was “incredibly excited” to join Harris PR, complete the PRII Diploma and begin her career in PR.
“I recognise the privileges I have had, but I also know what it feels like to be one of the only Black people in the room and to rarely see people who look like me represented in the profession I want to enter,” Arubi said.
She added: “Underrepresentation does not equal underqualification. There are so many talented and highly qualified people from ethnic minority and other underrepresented backgrounds who have the ability to succeed, but who can still face barriers when it comes to accessing opportunities and getting their foot in the door.”
PRII CEO – Laura Wall said the organisation was “delighted to continue” its partnership with Harris PR and Open Doors Initiative for a third year.
“At PRII, we are committed to ensuring that Ireland’s PR and communications profession reflects the diversity of the society it serves,” Wall said.
Open Doors CEO – Jeanne McDonagh added that the partnership demonstrated the difference employers can make by taking a proactive approach to inclusion.
The bursary marks the third year of the programme, which aims to combine professional education with practical agency experience for its recipients.
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© 2026, ShelfLife by Patryk Goron
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