Jenna Lo Castro, Ph.D., Champions a 'Work Hard, Play Hard' Approach in Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media Classes Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Jenna Lo Castro, Ph.D., is an associate professor of public relations, advertising and social media, and director of the School of Communication's graduate programs at Point Park University. Prior to joining the Point Park community, Lo Castro was an assistant professor of corporate communications at Penn State, Fayette. She has taught at Pittsburgh universities, including Duquesne, Carlow and Chatham.
In the Q&A and video below, Lo Castro shares more about her background and what students can expect in her classes.
How do you incorporate your industry experience into your classes?
My professional background is in advertising and public relations. I worked in the industry for several years before becoming a professor, and I'm currently a consultant at Oyster Creative Co., an integrated agency in Pittsburgh.
What I love about my experience with Oyster is that I can bring that into the classroom and talk to my students about the work we are doing for clients and the issues we experience, to help make the real world come alive for them.
What can students expect in your classes?
My classroom is really communal. While I lecture some, I focus on having the students work together. Our conversations are discussion-based, and I often allow students to work in groups, just so they can share ideas.
Why should students choose Point Park's Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media program?
Students should choose our program because when we say that we are hands-on, we truly mean it. Every day, our students are working on real-world projects, issues and challenges for clients. When we say we focus on real-world experiences, we actually do.
Another benefit of our program is that students can take their classes either on campus or online. This program gives you that flexibility: whether you are a working student or someone with a full-time job, the online option is always great too.
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy, and I tell all my students this, is, "Work hard, play hard." I truly believe that students should have a wonderful time in the classroom and be able to laugh and make jokes, but when the time comes, we also like to roll up our sleeves and work really hard. I focus on finding the balance between those two things for my students.
What do you enjoy about teaching at Point Park?
The thing that I love most about teaching is our students. We have the best students. They are so eager to learn. They come to the classroom every day asking questions, they're prepared, and they're bringing an energy that excites me as well.
Is there a teaching moment that felt special?
I've had so many special moments with my students over the years at Point Park. Some of the most gratifying moments and experiences have been the ones when I see former students climb the ladder. I have one former student in particular who climbed the corporate ranks and is now in her dream job in New York City, and I am so proud of her.
What are some of the advantages of attending a university in Downtown Pittsburgh?
One of the advantages of attending Point Park is that we are located right in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, where students have access to tons of organizations, companies, sports teams, agencies and firms. Students don't just have hands-on experiences with these places; they are literally right next door to us.
What do you do in Pittsburgh for fun?
Something I love to do in Pittsburgh for fun is check out all the fantastic restaurants we have. We have an incredible food scene here, and I am an aspiring, wanna be foodie, so we are always looking to check out the hottest, newest restaurant.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
If you are interested in our program, I invite you to come and visit campus, sit in on a class and meet with our professors. One of the things about our field is that it can be nuanced and sometimes high school students might not know what public relations and advertising is, so come on down, we invite you to learn more about our programs.
More About: graduate programs, School of Communication, public relations and advertising, faculty