Networking is one of the most important parts of building a career in communications. PRSSA gives students chances to do just that.
West Chester University’s Chapter of the national organization Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) offers networking opportunities with professionals through trips to agencies, guest speakers, workshops, and regional and national conferences. Public relations (PR) is defined as “a strategic communications process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics” by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Its functions include social media, content creation, crisis communications, brand journalism, marketing communications, events, media relations, and more!
Philadelphia Agency Tour
On November 14th, our PRSSA Chapter took our yearly trip to Philadelphia to tour public relations firms. We visited Devine+Partners and Tierney PR in Center City with twenty students, a majority from the communications department. We learned about their roles, daily tasks, and the importance of showing curiosity and passion by joining a club like PRSSA for internships and job applications. Students shared that they came out of the event with enhanced knowledge of their future career options, and had made new connections with organizations and each other.
Philadelphia Networking Event
November 1st, several students from our chapter attended the Philly PRSA Emerging Pros Brunch & Learn at the Continental Midtown restaurant in Philadelphia. Our National Vice President of Career Services, Melina O’Neal, spoke to the group. Additionally, we listened to various PR professionals in Greater Philadelphia who spoke about their roles and answered our questions. We also had a great breakfast and lunch with other PRSSA students from Temple University and Drexel University.
National Conferences
Melina O’Neal, graduate student and past WCU PRSSA leader, was chosen to join PRSSA’s competitive National Committee. O’Neal was chosen to be Vice President of Career Services at the 2023 Leadership Assembly in Scottsdale, Arizona last April. She is one of ten students elected for the 2023-2024 school year. Alongside her are students from Argentina, Poland, California, Boston, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Ohio. In this role, she promotes PRSSA’s career resources through speaking opportunities, blog posts, and communication efforts to over 6,000 members internationally.
She also traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, mid-October, for the 2023 PRSA/PRSSA ICON (International Conference). She shared her progress with the PRSA Board of Directors and introduced a session host and led a Q&A session. O’Neal also hosted a stand at the Career Exhibition, and spoke to students from collegiate chapters across the country. Additionally, she represented WCU at the Roll Call chant, attended sessions, and networked with fellow students and PRSA professionals. The Chapter plans to send several students to PRSSA’s next conference, the Leadership Assembly. It will be hosted in Seattle, Washington in March 2024.
If public relations, or any of these events, interest you, join the Public Relations Student Society of America on Ramconnect. Also, be sure to give us a follow on Instagram at @prssawcu! In Spring 2024, we will be having bi-weekly meetings. These meetings will include guest speakers, workshops, running a New York City agency tour, and attending regional and national conferences! As a PRSSA member, you also have access to write for our national blog Progressions, and have easy access to a network of PR professionals.
