The Entire World of PRSSA

This basic flash video provides an overall visual for the power of PRSSA, encompassing all of the aspects of PRSSA discussed through this informational news package. The power of PRSSA has proved to be strong for many students, which is why this organization is so vast and all encompassing. From providing national networking opportunities, to local support for fundraising and event planning for each chapter, PRSSA continues to “advance the profession and the professional.”

The Power of PRSSA Networking

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PRSSA hosts an annual conference every year as a way to offer its members an opportunity to come together, network with each other, and learn an exponential amount regarding smart business practices. Saint Edward’s PRSSA Chapter was able to send four of their members this past October for the entire five days of the conference. One of the main benefits in attending the conference, reported by attendees, was the ability to network with other like minded students.

As a way of showing the power of networking through the PRSSA National Conference in Washington D.C, we’ve created a Google Map displaying all of the students the Saint Edward’s members met and their various universities around the country. As these students all begin to wrap up their undergraduate college career and start to take on a professional career, this type of national networking has huge power in generating job opportunities for them.

“Your network is your lifelong connection to opportunity, experience and professional growth,” states PRSSA’s motto on networking, “PRSSA can help you start or broaden your network to include friends and colleagues worldwide at all levels of the profession.”

The students arrived in Washington D.C. for five days with ample opportunities to meet other students and professionals. All of these students are members of PRSSA and have similar interests and end career goals in the business arena. The conference consisted of an evening mixer where students wore their schools PRSSA shirt and had the opportunity to meet and network with all 1,000 plus students at the conference.

“The mixer was a favorite memory of mine at conference because it was a fun social environment that engaged all of us, making it easy and fun to meet people and strike up conversations,” said Brandon Chapman from McNeese University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

There were several breakfasts and lunches where students were encouraged to attend and mingle with other students. Several attendees reported these small interactions as a great time to strike up a conversation and hand out their contact card as well as receive others contact cards. The Saint Edward’s students came back with 25 to 50 different contact cards ranging from 20 to 30 different universities across the country each. The Saint Edward’s student’s contacts were the data used for the map display.

As a result of this networking, Saint Edward’s graduating seniors have reported the benefit of talking to other graduating seniors in areas where they are interested in looking for jobs. Having someone in a city where you would like to look for employment who is also looking for similar employment is a huge advantage in widening your opportunities. PRSSA is an extensive organization that offers ample benefits to its members. However, the organizations ability to help and create a network for each student seems to heavily outshine the other said benefits.

St. Edward's PRSSA Plans Spring Networking Mixer

One of the main benefits The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) markets to their members is networking opportunities, or the opportunity to “broaden your network.” The ability to meet people well networked within the business world can give an individual a huge upper hand on finding strong internships that then help foster improved job opportunities.

PRSSA nationally provides PRSA, the professional chapter of PRSSA, sponsor chapters that provide professional support and advice to the student chapters, as well as “Champions for PRSSA,” a group of professionals dedicated to supporting the education of students in public relations. PRSSA nationally also hosts a lot of opportunities on Twitter to help members gain followers and a larger network, as well as promoting internships and job opportunities via their Tweets.

One of PRSSA’s largest networking opportunities of the year is the National Conference. This past year it was held in Washington D.C. with over 1,000 PRSSA students attending and a multitude of communication professionals to hear speak and network with.

“I left with 35 other students cards and contact information, as well as email addresses and personal interaction with over 10 business professionals,” Eleanor Solomon PRSSA Treasurer, said. “Talk about the king of networking opportunities and an invaluable experience.”

On a more local level, St. Edward’s PRSSA chapter is following suit by offering networking opportunities to their members and surrounding area PRSSA students (Texas State and University of Texas). St. Edward’s PRSSA chapter has been busy this spring planning their “Mix, Mingle, and Make Connections,” networking mixer.

The executive board kicked off planning with a morning breakfast meeting at Torchie’s Tacos, a local taco joint. They spent several hours brainstorming locations, ideas, who to invite, and a names for the event.  The board members wanted an event where their members would have an opportunity to meet Austin area professionals for internship and job opportunities, while in a fun social environment.

“We wanted to provide our members locally, what PRSSA offers nationally in terms of networking opportunities,” Veronica Adamick, President of PRSSA, said. “Using all of our professional contacts in Austin and bringing them together for students to meet, we felt was fulfilling those networking needs.”

The executive board presented in the next weeks meeting their ideas, allowing the other members to help brainstorm and have input on the planning. After several more planning meetings and joining with Texas State PRSSA to get more student and professional attendance, they had decided on a name for the event, a location, and a time.

The next steps were to create an official invite for the professionals, generate social media buzz, and create a physical advertisement to be posted around campus.

“Luckily we have board members who are great at delegating tasks, planning, and getting things done, Issa Galvan PRSSA event planner, said. “We had someone in charge of the advertisement, someone with social media, and someone with writing the letter, it was perfect.”

The board members and PRSSA members are still busy in the works of getting a total head count of students and professionals for the event, as well as working out all of the last minute logistics. Hopefully come April 6^th, St. Edward’s PRSSA is able to give their members an invaluable networking experience allowing them to find solid contacts, and great internships.

PRSSA St. Edward's Chapter Audio SlideShow

St. Edward's PRSSA Chapter

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About PRSSA Blog Introduction

As someone about to wrap up my college career and graduate into “the real world” I am trying to immerse myself in all that I can to prepare. Many experts on the subject will say that being involved in school organizations and pursuing internship experience while in college is the key to achieving career launching success upon graduation. I am majoring in communication specializing in public relations, and made a concerted effort to find something to become involved with relating to my possible career choice.

I luckily stumbled upon The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)which  is a nationally recognized pre-professional organization aimed at creating a seamless transition for students from their college career to a professional career. This organization has local university chapters all across the United States and my university had an already established chapter for me to join.

I have had such great success with the opportunities PRSSA at St. Edward’s university has provided for me that I would like to use this blog platform as a way to inform others on what it means to be a PRSSA member in general, and more specifically at my university. I will be adding pictures, video, and audio to this blog detailing what it means to be a PRSSA member in general and on St. Edward’s campus more specifically. I look forward to sharing information about our meetings, events we have attended and plan to put on, as well as useful tips and trick I have learned about the world of public relations via PRSSA.

I feel strongly about the power of public relations to create positive change in the world, and the necessity to strategically, intelligently, and ethically conduct these practices.  I will do my best to provide expert and accurate information to better the potential public relations practitioners, as well as rely on and relay via this blog what I have learned though PRSSA.

In hoping to pursue a career in public relations, I am constantly surrounding myself in as much public relations and mass media information as I can. I am interning currently with a public relations agency and have learned great deals about the inner workings of a public relations firm. I see on a daily basis how important it is to keep a vast body of knowledge on the subject when it comes to being able to best strategize and provide smart ideas for your campaigns or clients. Because of this I have provided links in my blog-roll with all relevant and credible media, social media, and public relations blogs.

I look forward to sharing information on PRSSA and St. Edward’s PRSSA, as well as general helpful public relations industry information. Thank you for following my blog.