ADVANCING THE PROFESSION AND THE FUTURE PROFESSIONAL
FALL 2017
Vol. 50, Issue 1
www.prssa.prsa.org/forum
Five Reasons to Attend #PRSSANC
PRSSA
By Cayli Allen
National
Belmont University
hosts
a wide
variety of events each
year. From National
Conference to National
Assembly and Regional
Conferences, PRSSA
members have many
opportunities to travel,
meet professionals and
connect with students. If
you’re thinking of attending
a national event, you
should! And here’s why ...
you attend any
1. When
event sponsored by
PRSSA National, you get
the chance to hear from
some of the most influential
leaders in the public
relations industry.
2.
Peer networking is
very important while
in college. These large
events help you meet
students from across the
country with many different
interests and previous
experiences. These
students will someday be
your colleagues.
support network of students
to brainstorm ideas and
work together on events.
fun! These
5. They’re
events are not
these events
3. Attending
is inspiring! Hearing from
successful professionals
and being around students
with the same interests
as you helps you feel
motivated for the rest of
the school year!
4.
Attending PRSSA
National events help
your Chapter grow. After
connecting with so many
#PRSSbAes you create a
only educational and
great opportunities for
professional development
but also a chance to visit
a new city, connect more
with members of your
Chapter and grow as a
professional.
The
deadline
to register
is Sept. 8.
Building Community Through Giving
By Marley Vawter
Vice President of
Chapter Development
Every PRSSA member’s
favorite event of the year is
here — National Conference.
During Conference,
students gather to learn
from successful speakers,
gain new mentors and
create lifelong friendships,
all while exploring a new
city and making memories
that will last a lifetime.
Conference attendees are
also encouraged to support
an organization important
to the community hosting
Conference through the
Community Service Initiative.
This year, PRSSA is partnering
with Rosie’s Place, a shelter
for women in need that
helps more than 12,000
women a year. Rosie’s Place,
founded in 1974, was the first
women’s shelter in the United
States. Today it not only
provides meals and shelter,
but also provides solutions
for women through wide-
ranging support, housing
and education services.
Open
FORUM
Rosie’s Place relies solely
on the generous support
of individuals, foundations
and corporations. It does
not accept any city, state or
federal funding.
Conference attendees can
participate in the Community
Service Initiative by bringing
donations for women in
need in the Boston area.
These items include feminine
hygiene products, lotion,
shampoo, conditioner,
soap, socks, toilet paper,
toothbrushes and toothpaste.
There are a variety of ways
in which your Chapter can
participate:
If your Chapter is driving to
Conference, consider having
a donation drive.
● Encourage members to
bring donations to every
meeting leading up to
Conference.
● Put a box in your PRSSA/
Nationally Affiliated Student-
run Firm office or meeting
space to remind people of
the drive and to make the
box accessible at any time of
3
POST-INTERN CONNECTIONS
Just finished an
internship? Follow
these steps to
reconnect with your
supervisor.
Always a Student :
From the President’s Desk
By Andrew Cook
PRSSA National President
During my time at PRSSA,
I’ve seen students take
different approaches to
their PRSSA experience.
My experience has taught
me that the students that
Photo courtesy
of Andrew Cook are the happiest and
most successful are those
that learn to “be an eternal student,” as
Betsy Plank, the “Godmother of Public
Relations” used to say. Here are three
lessons I’ve learned recently as I’ve
developed my own network of friends,
mentors and peer professionals.
Treat people like people.
This summer I was introduced to a
professional in Washington D.C., who I
reached out and we picked a time and
place to lunch as I followed my usual
“habit” of connecting with a professional:
I did the customary background check on
LinkedIn, searched her name on Google
and even looked up her bio on her
company website.
See Student, Page 2
day for donations.
● Call on your advisers/
teachers to help spread the
word about the drive. Some
professors may even add
an incentive to encourage
donations.
For those Chapters flying to
Boston, collect money at your
university and purchase the
donations in Boston.
● Pass a donations box
around during your Chapter
meetings leading up to
Conference.
● Ask your professors if you
can pass a collection box
around before class.
Women and families
represent the fastest growing
groups of the homeless
population in the United
States. Help Rosie’s Place
combat homelessness and
help PRSSA give back as a
Society. For more information
on what to donate, visit
PRSSA,org/nc.
4
WHAT TO DO IN BOSTON
The top 10 fall
activities to do in
Boston during the
PRSSA 2017 National
Conference.
For more
information
on the service
initiative, visit
the National
Conference
website.
6
OVERVIEW OF UBER’S CRISIS
Review the timeline
of Uber’s current crisis
from a public relations
crisis communicator’s
perspective.