Winter 2015 Vol. 47, Issue II www.prssa.org/FORUM
Outstanding Educator Award Winner Acclaimed by Students
BY TAYLOR SHELNUTT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
“Do not throw up, do not trip
and do not pass out.” This was
Julie Henderson’s mantra as she
walked onstage and delivered her
acceptance speech for PRSA’s
Outstanding Educator of the Year
Award.
Henderson received the
award during the PRSA 2014 International Conference in Washington, D.C. The Outstanding
Educator of the Year Award is
presented annually to a PRSA
member who has demonstrated
an extraordinary ability to develop public relations education
at the university level. Henderson
is a professor of public relations
at the University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh as well as the Faculty
Adviser for the PRSSA
Chapter on campus.
“Dr. Henderson is a motivator. She has so much knowledge
and experience in [public relations] and she makes you work
hard for everything,” said Isaac
Haight, president of UW Oshkosh
PRSSA.
Haight has been able to
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work directly with Henderson in
PRSSA this year and commends
her abliity to lead and inspire. He
explained that she is always willing to build students up in order to
help them realize their full potential.
Other students share the same
opinion. Ryan Smith, public relations director for UW Oshkosh
PRSSA, believes Henderson’s
success in teaching originates
from her relationship with her
students.
“No matter how knowledgeable a professor might be, if they
do not sincerely care about their
students, they won't have a lasting impact on their future,” said
Smith.
Henderson has certainly had
a lasting impact. In 2009, she
was chosen for a two-year position as the PRSSA National Faculty Adviser. She helped found
the Northeast Wisconsin PRSA
Chapter and is an active member
of her local Chapter.
Henderson encourages the
same dedication to involvement
in public relations organizations
from her students. Sam Broughton, a second year member of the
UW Oshkosh PRSSA Chapter,
credits what he has gotten out of
PRSSA to Henderson.
“If I have a question regarding a project within PRSSA, I can
always come to Dr. H. and her
knowledge and experience will
provide me with a solution,” said
Broughton.
“Having a Faculty Adviser
that shows that kind of commitment and dedication has been a
blessing for our Chapter.”
Henderson plans to retire
after this year, but she will not be
easily forgotten.
“Students within the program
want to produce quality work in
her classes just because of the
respect students have for her,”
said Haight. “She will be the first
to tell you that it is her students
not her, but I can honestly say
that without Dr. Henderson our
program would be nowhere near
what it is today.”
Joseph Cohen, APR presents the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award to
Julie Henderson, Ph.D. APR, Fellow PRSA. Photo courtesy of PRSA.
University of Oklahoma’s Student-Run Firm Comes Out on Top
BY DEA PENNINGTON PRSSA VICE PRESIDENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
If interested,
email Publications
Editor in Chief
Laura Daronatsy at
[email protected]
On Oct. 16, University of
Oklahoma’s student-run firm measured up against other local public
relations and advertising agencies at the Oklahoma City PRSA
UpperCase Awards. The students
of Lindsey + Asp won first place
in the Best Internal Campaign of
the Year category for their
University
of
Oklahoma
Rugby “All In” campaign.
“It’s nice to get recognition when we know the services
we provide our clients are as
good as any established agency,”
Lindsey + Asp adviser and
PRSSA
National
Faculty
Adviser Bob “Pritch” Pritchard said.
Lindsey + Asp is made up
of 64 students who are competitively selected through an application, interview and portfolio-review process. The firm
bills more than $45,000 annually
while managing 20 clients across
various sectors such as food
and beverage, consumer products, healthcare and technology.
“Lindsey + Asp has provided
me with the skills and experi-
ence to make me competitive
with other students across the
country,” account manager and
senior public relations student
Katie Fikes said. “When I go into
interviews, employers are blown
away by the amount of work
I already have under my belt.”
After winning their first
PRSA award, the students of
Lindsey + Asp have their sights
set on bigger goals for the future.
“The UpperCase for the OU
Rugby video is just the start for
Lindsey + Asp,” Jarret Coffer, ac-
count lead and senior advertising
student said. “The talent the agency
produces is a legacy that is about to
hit the workforce. That’s exciting.”
Lindsey + Asp was founded
in 2009 and is the premiere learning laboratory for advertising and
public relations in the Gaylord
College of Journalism and Mass
Communications at the University
of Oklahoma. Lindsey + Asp is a
full service integrated firm offering digital strategy, video production, creative services and world
class advertising and public retions.
FORUM® STAFF
2014 - 2015
Publications Editor in Chief
Laura Daronatsy
Multimedia Manager
Collin Callahan
Design Editor
Erin Jeffries
Copy Editor
Robert James Winans
FORUM® is published three
times a year for PRSSA members.
The opinions expressed
are not necessarily those of
the Society or staff. The editor
in chief reserves the right to
refuse all copy.
Article submissions, comments and suggestions may be
made via email to the editor in
chief at [email protected].
FORUM® is produced by
students at Biola University in
La Mirada, California.
Student-run firm Lindsey + Asp is made up of 64 students who manage 20 clients and bill more than $45,000 each year. Photo courtesy of Lindsey + Asp.