Four UD COMM majors hit the spotlight on Friday, October 14 and showed student leaders from all over the country how Blue Hens shine.
Every year the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSSA) holds a huge national conference drawing between 1200 – 2000 student leaders from over 300 university PRSSA chapters. Only eight chapters receive a coveted invitation to present on a professional or chapter-development topic during the five-day gathering. This year, PRSSSA-UD locked in an invite and made a BIG impression with their “Cinderella Story”.
President Abby Stollar ’12, Sarah Vlatch ’13, Jessica Kamens. ’12 and Elynsey Price ’13 captured the Orlando convention hall jammed with students and faculty with their creative story describing how they increase membership by 400% over the past year through strategic planning, cool social media outreach via Facebook and Twitter, and a fun/professional trip to New York City.
Our students participated in full days of training, networking and festivities. They were thrilled to run into our fantastically enthusiastic National Advisor, Grace Leong, UD COMM ’88, owner of Hunter Public Relations in New York City, during a speed networking event. Ms. Leong steadfastly mentors our super-charged students, in particular, by offering an exclusive internship in her Madison Avenue firm over Winter Session which is open only to PRSSA-UD members.
Professor Carolyn White Bartoo, UD COMM ’88, attended the conference with her student officers and cheered them from the “bleachers”! She was also invited to present twice in Orlando, addressing PR professors in the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Educator’s Academy on “Best Practices for Teaching an Academic Service-Learning PR Campaigns Course”.
Students received scholarships from the PRSA-Delaware chapter, the AB&C agency in Wilmington/Philadelphia, and the COMM Department.
Follow all the exciting things our rising PRSSA-UD chapter does by liking their Facebook page, visiting their website, or following them on Twitter @PRSSA_UD.
And . . . PRSSA-UD is actively seeking alumni to serve as mentors (it’s only a two-hour annual commitment!) for current students. Contact them on their Facebook or via Twitter, or call the COMM Department at 302.831-8041. Thanks!