Why Mentorship Matters

Just last week, I announced the mentorship matches for fall 2014, a semester in which we saw an increase in both mentor and mentee applications. Each year, the program seems to expand as more members become aware of the program and the benefits of participating in mentorship. Even at PRSSA National Conference a few weeks ago, PR pros continually mentioned the importance of mentorship and how that played a part in their professional success. So as the PRSSA mentorship matches begin to meet and develop their relationships, I wanted to highlight the top reasons why mentorship matters.

• Mentee benefits. Mentees receive valuable knowledge from those who have first-hand experience. They also find a source of guidance and support in their mentor. Mentees can rely on their mentors to cheer them on when they succeed and help them up when they fail.
• Mentor benefits. The relationship is mutually beneficial, giving mentors the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills. They are also able to develop a professional and/or personal relationship with their mentees, expanding their networking and hopefully creating a friendship in the process. And of course, there’s that feeling of gratification mentors knowing they were instrumental in helping another succeed.
• Success. A 2006 study done by market research firm Gartner showed that in a company, mentees were promoted five times more frequently than those who did not have a mentor. This is a perfect example of the great success that comes from participating in a mentorship program.

Mentorship is a clear win-win for everyone involved. It benefits both the mentors and the mentees but also strengthens the organization. PRSSA has many members who, thanks to the mentorship program, have passed along advice, encouraged involvement and worked to make the chapter the best it can be.

Do you have a mentor who has helped you succeed? We want to hear your story! 

6 #PRSSANC Takeaways for Student Run Firm Directors

 

This weekend as PRowl represented our firm, Temple PRSSA and Temple University at PRSSA National Conference, we all had the chance to meet members of other student run firms and their leadership. It quickly became apparent to me that the chance to network and learn from other student run firm members would be one of the most valuable parts of National Conference.

As a Student Run Firm Director, members within your firm and even those outside of your firm automatically have a set of expectations of you. These known and expressed expectations often cause us to react in certain ways: try and control every situation, micromanage, stay as on top of things as possible. These 6 takeaways that I brought back from National Conference help put the position into greater prospective, and may help current or future Firm Directors to do the same.

1. Understand and appreciate your team.

All student run firms are not created equal, and neither is the leadership within them. Over the weekend, I met at least a dozen student run firm directors, all with differently structured executive boards and leaderships. Understanding where each leader in your firm excels, and knowing what they aspire to do will determine the entire flow of your firm. If you aren't linked tight to the other team in your firm, no matter how strong of a leader you are as a Firm Director, the firm will always be missing something.

2. Always be learning.

You will never know it all, and you never should. Always be willing to listen to others, and reevaluate the way that you currently do things. While something may be working, that does not mean it is the most effective means of getting things done. Always be open to hearing new thoughts and suggestions, and really follow through to show you don't want to run the firm as a dictatorship.

3. Trust your expertise.

While you should always be learning from others, you should also speak about your own experiences and expertise with great confidence. If another Firm Director is struggling, don't second guess offering your own words of wisdom or piece of advice. You likely know much more than you ever thought you did.

4. Remember your goals.

Throughout conference weekend, sessions that had nothing to do with student run firms directly brought me back to the goals I'd set for PRowl. Always be on the look out for how a lesson you learn in everyday life can translate into helping you accomplish something for the firm. And if you haven't set concrete goals for your firm and position, use the stories and experiences of others to create your own.

5. Know you are not alone.

While our experiences are unique, many student run firm directors are battling similar issues. When asked what the greatest problems in our firms were, the majority of us responded with the same or similar answers. Don't put more pressure on yourself then necessary, and reach out for help when you needed. More often than not, someone else will be going through a similar trial, or has already overcome it and able to help you do the same.

6. Get connected, stay connected.

Student run firm directors have to stick together! As previously stated, we cannot do this alone --and there are so many of us, we shouldn't have to! Join Facebook Groups, or start your own, to connect with Firm Directors in your area and beyond. Host meet ups, or meet virtually with a few other Firm Directors to share your common experiences and grow together.

Living Blogging From #PRSSANC

This weekend, PRowl members are networking, learning and building connections at PRSSA's Annual National Conference....and we are bringing you with us!

Be sure to check these blog frequently for new posts and updates on our takeaways from conference. We'll be posting tips for navigating a national conference effectively, and information about the sessions we attend from today until Monday night when we make our way back to Philly.

If you have questions or comments for us about #PRSSANC, send us a tweet @PRowlPR!

Welcome to the 2014-2015 Executive Board!

It is hard to believe that this year is coming to an end. Over the past two semesters, I have watched the firm grow into something spectacular. There have been ups, and there have been downs but I wouldn't have it any other way. This year's e-board has been there through it all with me and has truly shaped me into the leader I am today.

After reviewing various applications and an intense interview process, next year's board has been chosen. PRowl PR's executive board will be made up of 7 amazing aspiring PR pros next year. I have no doubt I am leaving the firm in more than capable hands and I cannot wait to see what they do next year! Meet our 2014-2015 Executive Board:

Amber Burns, Firm Director (bottom middle)

Alyssa Guckin, Assistant Firm Director (top middle)

Jaime Martorana, Assistant Firm Director (not pictured)

Jordan Washington, Assistant Firm Director (top right)

Kaylie Corallo, Director of Public Relations (bottom right)

Faiz Mandviwalla, Director of Finance (bottom left)

Maggie Wurst, Secretary (top left)

Good luck to all of you on this amazing journey full of learning & leading!

CSR: The Good, The Bad and The Laugh-Worthy

A wildly successful Saturday at the Temple University Invitational: A Taste of Philly PR left me with new knowledge, connections and inspiration. One particular session stuck with me and I'm hoping you'll see why. Scott Tattar, a local PR professional with over 30 years of experience including working for Ketchum, owning his own firm and most recently presiding over the PR department at LevLane Advertising, spoke to the group at the Invitational about corporate social responsibility.

Tattar defined CSR as "how you create love for a brand that creates a sustainable relationship between you and the community" and noted that a lot of people go right to thinking about eco-friendly and green initiatives when they hear corporate social responsibility. While we would never discourage being more kind to the environment, that's not exactly what a successful CSR program initiates.

Some essentials of CSR are:

• Empowering the customer
• Clarity of focus
• Targeting the buying community

Some good examples of CSR programs were mentioned during the conversation, including Target's Red Card program that allows customers to donate 1% of their total cost of purchase towards the school of their choice and Target will match it. This is a successful CSR initiative because it's empowering the customer as well as staying community-focused.

Poor examples of CSR initiatives were mentioned as well. Learn from the mistakes of others, right? Burger King has a program that donates proceeds to fighting childhood obesity. As good of a cause as it may be, that is just one big oxymoron and doesn't exactly empower the customer.

I came away from the session with a full understanding of corporate social responsibility that I didn't have before, and I hope you get the same from my post.

Can you think of any great (or terrible) examples of CSR programs? We want to hear from you!

TU Invitational: A Taste of Philly PR

Get ready for Temple PRSSA’s biggest event of the year. Join us for the TU Invitational: A Taste of Philly PR! 

The event will take place on March 29, 2014 at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hillel at Temple University Edward H. Rosen Center For Jewish Life.

Temple Invitational: A Taste of Philly PR will be comprised of keynote speaker Cassandra Bailey, Principal of Slice Communications, and multiple speaker sessions, as well as great Philadelphia foods and speed networking! Bailey brings a wide variety of experiences to public relations and social media strategies, and will surely provide invaluable lessons for students looking to be successful in the field. 

In addition, the breakout sessions will be hosted by Kory Aversa of Aversa PR and School of Media and Communication Alumni Jessica Lawlor, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Visit Bucks County. These successful Philly PR icons will each be providing advice and insight to aspiring public relations professionals, including how to successfully plan events and master personal branding. 

Students from all majors are encouraged to attend this engaging and exciting event! This is a great opportunity to develop connections with fellow aspiring PR pros as well as current professionals in the field.

Temple PRSSA encourages attendees to live tweet and take pictures during the event, so be sure to join the conversation by using the hashtag #TUInvite14. Bring your business cards and best handshake; this is an event you do not want to miss!

The dress code for the TU Invitational is business casual. To purchase your ticket for this fantastic event, click here. The early bird rate ends on Saturday, March 15th, so buy yours today and save $5! Also, if you're interested in donating to make this event an even bigger success, click here to give to our OwlCrowd fundraiser!

Can't wait to see on you March 29th!

This guest blog post was written by PRSSA member Jade Taylor. 

Event Recap: Stockton PRSSA’s #CommIn14

This past weekend I had the chance to connect with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s chapter of PRSSA while attending their networking event, Communication Innovation 2014: A Puzzle Piece To Your Future. I first met Stockton PRSSA President, Siera Smith, at the PRSSA National Conference this past October. I was so excited to see what this new chapter had in store for their inaugural event.

The event began with opening remarks from Siera as well as Stockton College President, Dr. Herman Saatkamp. Shortly after lunch, keynote speaker, Jessica Levin took the stage. Jessica Levin, MBC, CMP, CAE is the president and chief connector of Seven Degrees Communication, LLC. Her lecture primarily focused on the newest ways to communicate in our digital world. Here are some key points I took away from her lecture:

1. Digital is no longer a strategy, it is a way of life.
2. We live in a customized world, it's in demand, & it's efficient.
3. Getting your message on traditional media is NOT enough.
4. Renting, sharing, and subscribing is not new or different, it just embraces new technology

Congrats to Stockton PRSSA on a flawless and informative event! We look forward to collaborating soon!

Searching for Your First Internship? Find One That Suits Your Interests

Finding an internship is tricky especially for your first one. With so many options to choose from where do you start?

For me, I thought about what area of public relations I would enjoy working in, and this ultimately pointed me in the right direction. I have always had a passion for photography and dance. My mom instilled in me a love for documenting everything, and I also have been dancing for 14 years studying ballet and pointe.

At Temple University, I received an email about an internship with the community relations department at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and it definitely caught my eye. I previously heard of the dance School and knew they trained several professional dancers including Beckanne Sisk, who is now on CW’s show Breaking Pointe.

Before I applied, I made sure to research the school. I looked over their website and saw that the department does both public relations internally and externally in the community. I applied, interviewed for the position and have been interning there since September. It has been such a great experience writing pieces for their newsletter and assisting with events. I recently renewed the internship for this semester.

One reason I love this internship is because I am back in the dance industry. For 14 years, I was just a dancer taking classes and performing. Now, I am able to assist behind the scenes and learn what happens to make shows a success. This has fueled my love for my internship because I am so invested in their mission to provide excellence in dance training. It is great to see — through my press releases and pitches — that I am helping raise money to provide opportunities for the School’s dancers.

In addition, I have utilized my past experiences as a former dancer to develop strategies that promote the School and its mission to the community. Overall, I love how I am able to combine my passion for dance and public relations in a way that not only benefits The Rock School and its dancers but also myself.

Finding your first internship can be hard because there are so many to choose from. The first thing to do is look for internships that relate to your interests or hobbies. Like many people say if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life. If you search for internships locally, it will be easier for you to travel and start small, but gain valuable experience along the way. If you enjoy using a company’s products or services, see if they have an internship available. Be proactive in your search and take chances — every internship is a learning experience.

What internship will your interests lead you to?

Written by PRowl staff member Shaun Luberski, this blog post was recently published on PRSSA National blog Progressions.

6 Ways To Discover A Great PR Client

When working at an agency, clients come and go. There are good clients, bad clients, mediocre clients, and there are great clients. At PRowl PR, we have been fortunate to have a history of retaining great clients. 

After working with PRowl PR for the past three years, I have noticed that there are certain traits that really make a great client stand out. I think this article from Maven Communications puts it best:

1. The client is open to exploring initiatives that they’ve never done before because...
2. The client trusts your expertise and respects your professional recommendations. 
3. The client is on board with adjusting the campaign to keep the results aligned with the business objectives of the company. 
4. The client pushes you to continually be innovative. 
5. The client’s campaigns are intellectually stimulating… 
6. And also intellectually demanding. 

Next time you are meeting with a potential new client, be sure to keep these six traits in mind and hopefully you will discover your next great PR client. 

#RealTalk: Crisis Communications

"In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity."

This is a quote from a session at the PRSSA National Conference called From the Crisis Trenches: Blazing a New Trail in Communications. Speakers from the Mach 1 Group discussed the crisis the Livestrong Foundation was faced with when the Lance Armstrong scandal broke.

No matter how prepared we try to be, crisis will always knock us off balance.  Only so much can be learned about crisis communications in a classroom but it is something that will most likely face all of us one day. Here are some key takeaways that I learned in this PRSSANC session that made me feel more comfortable in my ability to handle a crisis situation.

• Work your company's mission statement into any answer you're giving the press
• Think "how can we turn this around?"
• Remember: we are more than the sum of the actions we take
• Be sure to show the big picture, not just focus on the problem at hand
• You always want to be the one to break the news so you can shape it
• Ethical and transparent communication is essential

Keeping these things in mind when handling a crisis situation will help ensure that it goes as well as possible. 

What tips do you have for dealing with crisis communications?

Public Relations Program Receives Certification At International Conference

The following article was published on SMC News and Events on October 26, 2013.

The public relations industry has converged on Philadelphia this weekend and Temple University is playing a starring role.

The city is playing host to the International Public Relations Society of America Conference Oct. 26-29. A silver-level sponsor of the conference, Temple has secured its place as an important part of the future of public relations. On Saturday, the PR program within the School of Media and Communication’s Department of Strategic Communication has officially earned the PRSA’s Certification in Education for Public Relations. Only 32 other PR programs in the world have received this certification.

“Our public relations program is approaching a level that can be described as exacting, compelling and rigorous,” said Professor Cornelius B. Pratt, department chair.

The certification is something to which future students should be attracted as they search for a college program that fits their needs.

“It should offer a high level of confidence in the quality of the education that we will provide them,” Pratt said.

He said the depth and breadth of the department’s five full-time public relations faculty members, two of whom are accredited in public relations, were key factors in receiving the certification. All five have practical public relations experience.

Brianna Rooney of Ambler, Pa., is a senior in the public relations track. As president of the Temple Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, she understands what the certification means for her degree.

“Hearing that PRSA is offering its support to our program is beyond exciting,” she said. “It brings great and necessary attention to the program and everything that it offers to students. It is a huge testament to the program, department and school and makes me so proud to be part of something so great.”

Strong SMC presence
Temple will be visible throughout the conference. On Monday, SMC Dean David Boardman will make introductory remarks at the all-conference networking luncheon. This opportunity will enable the new SMC dean to introduce himself to more than 2,500 international communications professionals, and tell them a little bit about Temple and its undergraduate and graduate programs. That same afternoon, adjunct instructor Amanda Bednar will be presenting a workshop on non-profit and association PR at the Public Relations Student Society of America conference, which is being held concurrently with the professional conference.

On Tuesday morning, Heather LaMarre, assistant professor of strategic communication, will present a workshop on “Defining Corporate Character Advocacy on Character Reputation and Relationships” at the professional conference.

More than 40 of SMC’s PR students have registered for the student conference. Members of Temple’s PRSSA chapter, student-run PR firm PRowl Public Relations and the Temple chapter of the Black Public Relations Society have been intimately involved in planning ways to get the most out of the school’s sponsorship. They are staffing tables throughout both conferences, promoting SMC’s graduate and PhD programs. Additionally, student are surveying conference attendees to see what they know about Temple and are exploring future opportunities to speak in classes and perhaps even teach.

Kaitlyn Sutton, PRowl firm director, said she and her fellow students are focused on networking this weekend.

“For many of us, this will be our first time interacting with professionals within the field,” Sutton said. “I think the other main benefit is the chance to explore new realms for the PR world that we may have not thought about before. Being exposed to professional development sessions at such a young age, I feel that we will be gaining an advantage over other students who do not have this opportunity during their college career.”

#PRSSANC Essentials You May Have Forgotten

After an extremely hectic past few weeks, the big event we have all been waiting for is finally here! PRSSA National Conference has officially begun! 

With a jam-packed weekend ahead of us all, here are a few essentials to keep handy this weekend that you may have forgotten about: 

Phone Charger (make sure you personalize it!)

We all know that we are Tweet-aholics. Be sure to carry around a charger to ensure that you can stay connected with the social media world! Make sure you personalize it though, or it may get lost in the sea of chargers. 

Band-aids

Paper cuts and blisters - need I say more?

Ibuprofen

Networking involves a LOT of chit-chatting. Pack a travel-size bottle of Motrin just in case you feel a splitting headache coming on. 

Hand Sanitizer

It's flu season! Better to be safe than sorry. 

Perfect Match: PRSSANC Student-Run Firm Workshop

The count down to the PRSSA National Conference is officially in the single digits and I couldn't be more excited.  I'm looking forward to meeting other eager PR students and industry professionals and obviously I'm beyond thrilled about the Gatsby-themed welcome night celebration, but I'm also really excited about the workshops and lectures that I'm going to attend. One that I'm particularly interested (and I'm sure you can guess why) is the student-run firm workshop.

The workshop is slated to provide information about all aspects of a student-run firm.  Here are some highlights listed in the brochure for national conference:

• Attendees will hear from a panel of current firm directors, PRSA representatives, and Nationally Affiliated firm directors
  
• Topics will range from how to start a student-run firm to how to apply for national affiliation
  
• Another crucial topic of discussion about how to build your firms relationship with PRSA

I think my excitement is understandable.

Which PRSSANC workshop or event are you most looking forward to?

Maximizing Value Is Key to Maximizing Profit in a Student-Run Firm

“Maximize profits! Create shareholder wealth!” Sounds a lot like your intro to economics class, right?

These are the values driving many businesses today. Whipped into a frenzy by the single-minded pursuit of these goals, organizations often end up sacrificing good judgment, value and, ultimately, the very success they were striving to achieve. By focusing their entire effort on the bottom line, many American organizations have reduced their value.

This trend can be reversed with value-driven management. Instead of focusing solely on profits, value-driven management is aimed at creating and sustaining value over time. Whether your student-run firm is well-established or just getting started, this management style is extremely effective when it comes to maximizing profits. By creating value from within the organization, the public and potential clients will begin to value your organization as well.

Here are a few value drivers to ultimately maximize the profits of your student-run firm:

Focus Within
Building an organization where the values of employees are in sync with organizational values creates a strong, motivated team. Motivating and retaining top student talent is crucial for the sale value of your firm. Holding frequent workshops that seek to improve firm members’ leadership and skills is one way to create value from within. Creating fun programs that focus on the social dimension of your firm is another way to build the firm’s team cohesion and can ultimately lead to a higher task orientation; this also creates organizational value as well as job satisfaction.

Diversification of Clients
For the firm to function as a proper business, it is important to constantly develop new business. Having a wide variety of clients that change from year to year optimizes the firm’s revenue potential. It also factors into how much growth potential your business has. Possessing a diverse client portfolio exemplifies that your student-run firm’s experience is invaluable.

Creating a Realistic Strategic Growth Plan
Any organization that wants to reach the next level needs to have a realistic plan that outlines the firm’s potential future growth. This plan should include a distinct business model, and how that business model can roll into new markets successfully. Being able to verbalize this plan to potential clients will increase your firm’s market value and ultimately increase its profitability.

There are many more value drivers that are key to growing your firm’s value now and in the future. By focusing on these few value-driver examples, your student-run firm will be able to maximize its profits.

How will you make the most of your student-run firm?

This blog has also been featured on PRSSA National's blog, PRogressions.

Ethics & PRSSA Twitter Chat

This past Tuesday, Temple PRSSA participated in PRSSA National's second Twitter Chat of the fall semester dubbed "Ethics & PRSSA". The monthly #PRSSA Twitter Chats are a great way to stay connected with fellow PRSSA members and interact with professionals. Hosted by the @PRSSANational Twitter account, each month features a different discussion topic relevant to students and Chapters, featuring a monthly guest professional or National Committee member.

PRSSA encourages Chapters to participate in the monthly Twitter Chats by turning the Chats into an event for its Chapters. Promoting the Chats as a resource of information and a way to engage with other students across the country is a great way to get members involved.

PRSSA has released the remaining dates and topics for the 2013 Twitter Chat schedule. All will be at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will use the hashtag “#PRSSA” on the following dates: Tuesday, Oct. 1 with “Growing Your PRSSA/PRSA Relationship”; Tuesday, Oct. 15 with “Maximizing Your National Conference Experience”; Tuesday, Nov. 12 with “Leading Chapter Growth”; and Tuesday, Dec. 3 with “Do It the WRITE Way.” Recommended tools to use while participating in a Twitter Chat are TweetChat, TweetDeck or the Twitter platform with the #PRSSA hashtag.

To check out some highlights from "Ethics & PRSSA," please click this link: http://storify.com/prssanational/september-twitter-chat-ethics-and-prssa

Did you participate? Let us know in the comments below!

How To Join the Mentorship Program at Temple PRSSA

Last fall, Temple PRSSA introduced a mentorship program for its members. The program, so far, has been incredibly successful in matching up an upperclassman, or an executive board member (the mentor) with a younger PRSSA member (the mentee) and creating a relationship where the mentor helps to guide the mentee through their journey of studying and learning to practice the art of public relations and their life at Temple here as a whole! The mentor, as an older student, is a person who can answer potential questions about the major itself, what classes to take when, resume and internship questions and anything else about Temple. Oftentimes, a mentor will serve as a role model for their mentee. 

Becoming a mentor within Temple's chapter of PRSSA has been such a rewarding experience for me. I have been able to inspire my mentee to aspire a career in a field that I am extremely passionate about. Being able to share my love of PR with someone and watching them express that same dedication to this field is something indescribable.

In order to be a mentor, you must be a dues paying member of PRSSA and be able to take the time to both meet and communicate with your mentee. The mentee must be able to meet with their mentee(s) at least once a month, and contact them on a weekly basis. This may include texting, emailing, chatting on Facebook- whatever method of communication that suits each party best outside of face-to-face meetings. The more communication the better though!

If you are interested  please feel free to contact Rachel Draghi at Rachel.Draghi@temple.edu with any questions or concerns you may have! Applications will be due on October 1st, 2013 for the fall semester.

To learn more, please visit templeprssa.org/mentorship-program/.

Welcome To PRowl Public Relations!

After an overwhelming amount of applications and an extremely competitive interview process, PRowl Public Relations is pleased to announce our newest members. The following students will be joining the firm as first-time staff members:

Mikayla Appell

Brittany Barish

Rute Barkai

Jasmine Barnes

Benjamin Coleman

Rachel Draghi

Gabrielle Lacherza

Faiz Mandviwalla

Emily O’Connell

Brianna Prime

Kaylie Corallo

Hiya Ray

Alissa Steele

Sara Snyder

Ransford Whaumbush

Nathan Wilson

Maggie Wurst

Looking to #JoinTheElite? Be sure to stay up to date on all things PRowl to find out when our next application process will take place!

3 Reasons To Join PRSSA

With the start of a new school years comes the opportunity to become more involved on campus. If you are interested in a career in public relations what better way to learn more about the field than to become a member of a professional public relations student organization.

PRSSA, which stands for Public Relations Society of America, has over 10,000 members nationwide and has chapters located in thousands of universities. At Temple University, our PRSSA chapter meets every Tuesday from 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM at the Howard Gittis Student Center. Click here for more information: http://templeprssa.org/. The first meeting of the semester will be held in 217B.

Interested? Here are three reasons to join a PRSSA chapter near you according to www.PRSSA.org:

1. Enhance Your Education
Events. Network, learn and interact with public relations students from around the country at PRSSA events like National Conference, National Assembly and Regional Conferences.
Competitions. Apply what you’ve learned in the classroom, add to your portfolio and work with high-profile clients by taking the opportunity to compete in one of our many case study competitions.
Leadership. Add to your résumé and gain valuable leadership skills by running for office in your Chapter, student-run firm or the PRSSA National Committee.
Scholarships and Awards. Be recognized for your accomplishments or let us help you fund your education through one of the many scholarships and awards PRSSA offers students each year.
News and Intelligence. Stay current on industry news and the latest trends in public relations through PRSSA and PRSA news and intelligence resources.
Writing. Add to your portfolio and be published nationally by taking the initiative to write for FORUM® or PRSSA's blog, Progressions.
Places to Study. Find a school with a PRSSA Chapters near you by browsing the list of Chapter in the United States and one in Argentina.

2. Broaden Your Network
Events. Develop valuable relationships with future colleagues and current professionals through national and regional events.
Social Media. Start discussions and connect with PRSSA members from all over by plugging in to PRSSA social media.
PRSA Sponsor Chapters. Meet current professionals, ask questions and get professional advice through your Chapter’s PRSA Sponsor Chapter.
Champions for PRSSA. Browse the Champions for PRSSA Directory to see this network of professionals dedicated to supporting PRSSA members and your education.

3. Launch Your Career
PRSA Jobcenter. Browse career resources and search for public relations employment opportunities all over the world with PRSA Jobcenter.
Internships. Get job-hunting tips, upload your résumé and find the most recent internship opportunities through the PRSSA Internship Center.
PRSA Associate Membership. Start networking and get connected to 20,000 public relations professionals when you join PRSA as an Associate Member for only $60 up to five months before or two years after graduation.
PRSA Sections. PRSA Professional Interest Sections connect you to others who work in a niche industry, such as sports, health care or the military. Check out PRSA’s Section specifically for New Professionals.

Do you love your chapter of PRSSA? Tell us about it!

PRSSA National Leadership Rally Recap

This past weekend I had the pleasure to travel to Scottsdale, Arizona to represent Temple’s chapter of PRSSA at PRSSA National Leadership Rally! The weekend was filled with incredible speakers, breakout sessions that left you feeling more motivated than ever, and almost 100 eager PRSSA Presidents, ready to take their chapter to the next level!

I learned about myself as a leader, how to handle an executive board and so much more!

"Enhance your education. Extend your network. Prepare for success."

Key Points:

1. I cannot do it all. It is important for people in leadership positions to realize you cannot do it all. I only have one year as president and I need to learn to be able to delegate. Our keynote speaker,      Gary McCormick, a PR professional for HGTV told us, “You need to be decisive. If you can’t delegate, you can’t be decisive” 

2. Leading is an art, not a science. I learned the importance of respect towards your executive board as well as your members. An important point that was reiterated multiple times was that followers select their leaders; leaders do not select their followers. I cannot force myself onto members, some people may not want to participate, instead, I need to learn to wait for people to come to me and then build a relationship from that.

The equation for a leader
Self Sacrifice + Self Examination + Self Control = Personal success in leadership

3. There are continued benefits of PRSSA. We tend to get busy with schoolwork and internships. Our lives take over and forget the long term benefits of PRSSA and why we joined in the first place. The weekend brought me back to myself as an eager freshman, ready to start my PR career. PRSSA offers you the opportunity to enhance your education, extend your network and prepare for success, the building blocks of your victorious future.

I left PRSSA Leadership Rally motivated and ready to make strides as the President of Temple’s chapter. I learned how to lead as well as how to know when it is time to step back. I realize I cannot do it all but I can trust my chapter to help me whenever I need it and I know that I have over 100 members that will help me make this year a success!

What benefits have you received from PRSSA? Do you consider yourself a leader?

This event recap was written by Temple PRSSA President Brianna Rooney.

Networking: PRowl & PRSA Philadelphia

Networking is essential in the public relations industry. Effective networking goes well beyond introducing yourself and shaking hands. The ability to make valuable connections with industry professionals well before your job search begins is crucial in today's world. 

Get to know local organizations within the field that plan events in which networking can take place. Subscribe to their free emails newsletters so you can be notified about upcoming networking opportunities. Create business cards so you are always ready to give a new connection your contact information. 

PRSA Philadelphia put on their annual Spring Sunset Happy Hour this past week and members from PRowl PR and Temple University's PRSSA chapter were lucky enough to attend. This event allowed us students to meet public relations professionals who work right here in Philadelphia! Held at the Waterworks Restaurant and Lounge, we were able to enjoy food and drinks while taking in the gorgeous views of the establishment, the Delaware River as well as Boathouse Row. 

PRowl PR members from left to right: Samantha Wanner, Emily Storz, London Faust, Amanda White, Jessica Mancuso, Kaitlyn Sutton & Gregg Fesitman, Faculty Advisor