From Backstage to Spotlight: My Journey Organizing HSE's Integraph
Hello, dear readers! My name is Anna, and for six intense months, my life was synonymous with the Integraph Integrated Communications Competition. While many students experience HSE through lectures and seminars, I had the unique opportunity to see it from the other side—as part of the core team that transforms an ambitious idea into a large-scale event. This is my story from the engine room of one of HSE's most dynamic projects.
Integraph is more than a competition; it's a nationwide platform for future communication professionals. This year's scale was staggering: we received 253 applications from 64 universities across 24 Russian cities. The journey culminated in a final showdown in Moscow, where the 19 strongest teams, including finalists from Krasnoyarsk, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, and Nizhny Novgorod, presented their campaigns to a jury of top-tier experts from our partner companies: VK, Avito, and Arnest UniRus.
To help participants pinpoint their interests, the competition was structured into four distinct tracks:
- Integrated Communications;
- Digital Communications;
- HR Brand Management;
- Social Communications.
A new special nomination, "New PR-izvanie" (A New PR Calling), was also introduced this year to spotlight finalist teams comprised of students from non-communications backgrounds.
My journey began long before the final gala. My primary role during the qualifying stage was participant support and audience outreach. This went far beyond sending out mass emails. One of our most successful and energetic initiatives was a targeted presentation at HSE's legendary "Student's Night." Amidst the buzz of countless clubs and societies, our mission was to stand out. We set up an interactive stand, delivered a dynamic pitch, and engaged in one-on-one conversations. Watching our sign-up list grow in real time was our first tangible victory and a crash course in direct, impactful communication.
However, attracting participants was only half the battle; supporting them was crucial. Our team curated a comprehensive series of expert lectures, both online and offline at the HSE Moscow campus. A significant undertaking was organizing a special course with the leading industry association, ARIР. This wasn't just another lecture series; it was a strategic tool. The course, titled "Digital Promotion and Media Planning," was designed to directly address key judging criteria like "digital promotion plan" and "effectiveness of proposed solutions." It covered six critical topics, delivered by industry practitioners. We managed the logistics for both in-person attendance and live streaming, coordinated with the speakers, and promoted the course to all registered teams. The most valuable incentive? Finalist teams who completed the course received official certificates from ARIР, adding a significant credential to their portfolios. Seeing the lecture rooms fill with engaged students, all focused on gaining a competitive edge, was incredibly rewarding.
Parallel to educational support, our team was driving a massive media and PR campaign. While I wasn't directly managing the social media accounts, I witnessed firsthand how our dedicated PR team crafted the competition's public image. They developed content strategies, created engaging posts, and, most impressively, secured coverage in regional and national media outlets. This external outreach was vital for amplifying the competition's prestige and attracting the wide pool of applicants we saw.
In addition to the major milestones, our team was constantly engaged in ongoing work that formed the solid foundation of the entire project. Beyond my core responsibilities, I immersed myself in a wide range of tasks, from creative to purely technical. For instance, I personally participated in decorating the Moscow building of the HSE Faculty of Creative Industries with New Year's decorations in the Integraph style, creating a special atmosphere and visually reminding students of the upcoming competition. I also actively took part in brainstorming sessions and developing assignments for the final round and our presentation concept for "Student's Night." Of course, there was no avoiding routine tasks: I maintained participant records, meticulously filled out spreadsheets, answered questions in chats, and handled sending out invitations to teams from previous years, informing them about the new features of the current season and motivating them to try their hand again. This daily, often behind-the-scenes work was the essential cement that held all the grand plans together.
The six-month preparation was a masterclass in project management. Our team was a mosaic of different personalities and skillsets, and learning to work together was a project in itself. We had the visionary "idea people," the meticulous "spreadsheet masters," and the calm "crisis managers." Our meetings were a whirlwind of coordinating with sponsors, navigating complex task spreadsheets, and problem-solving in real-time.
The day of the final was a universe of its own. Backstage, the air was electric with a mix of concentrated nerves and explosive excitement. My responsibilities were hands-on and critical to the event's flow: I was one of the points of contact for the teams, guiding them to their presentation rooms, ensuring they felt supported, and synchronizing with moderators on strict timings.
The participants were phenomenal. They presented integrated campaigns featuring innovative digital strategies, clever partnerships, and profound audience insights. The jury later confessed that the level of some solutions, particularly in the new "HR Brand Management" track, made choosing a winner exceptionally difficult. It was a powerful testament to the talent thriving within Russian universities.
But the work didn't stop after the awards ceremony. The "day after" was almost as busy as the event itself. Our team conducted a detailed debriefing session, analyzing what went well and, more importantly, what could be improved for the next season. We gathered feedback from participants, jury members, and partners. We also managed the post-event communications: sending out thank-you emails, sharing photo and video reports, and packaging the results for our final PR push. This closure phase was crucial; it transformed a one-off event into a sustainable project with a history and a future.
It’s an experience that truly illuminates your student path.
For me, the most lasting legacy of Integraph is the people and the tangible skills I acquired. The project is a powerful networking engine. I forged a tight-knit team with my fellow organizers, met incredibly talented participants from diverse backgrounds, and connected with industry professionals who served as mentors. As Sergey Zverev, Head of the HSE School of Communications, noted, “participation in Integraph is a chance for students to showcase their skills, enrich their resumes, and connect with potential employers”. I experienced this from the organizer's perspective, and it has profoundly enriched my professional horizon.
On a practical level, I now have a deep understanding of the end-to-end lifecycle of a major project – from initial concept and partner acquisition to execution and post-analysis. I learned to communicate with corporate partners using a professional tone, to manage complex stakeholder expectations, and to lead a small team of volunteers on specific tasks. These are not abstract competencies, they are real, applicable skills that I've already listed on my resume and discussed in job interviews, where they never fail to impress.
Of course, the journey was immensely stressful, with sleepless nights and seemingly insurmountable to-do lists. But the feeling of collective accomplishment made every challenge worthwhile. This wasn't just a university project, it was a real-world case study in project management, crisis control, and teamwork.
This experience vividly illustrates what HSE offers beyond the curriculum – a real platform to lead, create, and make a tangible impact. If you are interested in communications, marketing, or PR, or simply want to challenge yourself, I wholeheartedly encourage you to participate in Integraph in the 2025-2026 academic year. It is a unique opportunity to dive deep into the industry, test your skills, build a portfolio, and expand your professional network. And who knows? Perhaps you'll find yourself on the organizing side one day, creating the same magic for others.
It’s an experience that truly illuminates your student path.
Shared by
