By: Jada Miles
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Many students and professionals can relate to feeling like an imposter or having to tone down their true self in professional environments. It is common for people to feel like they don’t deserve their accomplishments or they “just got lucky,”.

Brandi Boatner, Digital & Advocacy Communications at IBM spoke about imposter syndrome and Covering in the workplace and ways to combat this. 

Boatner covered three main points during her session:

• Disrupt Diversity by defeating Imposter Syndrome

The term Imposter Syndrome was created by two psychologists in 1978. Defined as “referring to  high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a ‘fraud’”. Boatner then covered the impacts of imposter syndrome, how it leads to procrastination, over-working, self doubt and more when it goes unchecked. She also talked about the different types of Imposter Syndrome too, and left us with a way to beat it, “You can beat imposter syndrome by embracing it,” Boatner said.

• Understand the dynamics of the term “covering” and how it affects the employee experience

Covering is where a person will downplay a well-known stigmatized identity to blend in, similar to code switching. She also shared how 61% of employees in the workplace cover.  Some different ways people might “cover” in the workplace include:
- Altering their appearance
- Avoiding advocating for their group
- Avoiding behaviors associated with their identity
- Avoiding contact with other group members

• Develop a framework for how to infuse inclusion to drive employee engagement

Boatner talked about how to create a safe space for everyone to be who they really are. 
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At the end of the session Boatner left us with some key takeaways to help combat these issues. Organizations should increase psychological safety which is “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking,” which would then lead to benefits from diverse thinking. She also encouraged people to live their authentic lives, and adjust to a new normal. 

By: Katie Thompson
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I scream, you scream, we all scream for social justice (and ice cream!).
 
On September 23rd PRSSA Kent sat down with Sean Greenwood, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Ben & Jerry’s. Greenwood discussed the company’s strategies for partnering its love of ice cream with the need to change the world with his presentation titled “When Silence is Not An Option.”
 
The first Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop opened in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Since its opening, Ben & Jerry’s has operated on a three-part mission; economic, social and product.
 
“The thought is that they are equally weighted,” Greenwood said, “we want to equally provide support and interest for each of these.”
 
Ben & Jerry’s takes an active role in fighting for the issues they believe in. “We get out on the streets,” Greenwood explained as he showed photos of Ben & Jerry’s employees marching in climate change marches and pride parades.
 
But why do it? Why does a company known for its delicious ice cream flavors with wacky names care so much about changing the world? In the words of Ben, “Businesses have the responsibility to give back.”
 
It’s typical for organizations to focus on cause-related marketing when it comes to selling a product. This means that a company focuses on consumer interest and how it can align its brand with what the consumer cares about to build a brand. Greenwood explained that Ben & Jerry’s focuses on the issues they care about rather than what the consumer wants to reach the goal of progressive social change through values-led activism.
 
“We look at the change we want to see,” Greenwood said, “how do we take that stance, share what is it that we believe, and take our fans and the public at large with us on that journey.”
 
Greenwood also discussed how the company speaks out on controversial political issues without being partisan. Rather than promoting a specific candidate, Ben & Jerry’s gets involved with the issues they believe in, but they can’t do it alone.
 
Ben & Jerry’s expertise is in ice cream making. When it comes to educating and taking a stance on issues such as climate change and racial justice, they make a point to partner with reputable organizations that can coach them through making a real impact.
 
When talking about these highly opinionated topics, it’s expected to receive backlash. When dealing with backlash, Greenwood explained that he does receive backlash from the press releases he puts out on social justice issues, but those messages are emails from individuals thanking him for his support. Those messages remind him of the importance of the work Ben & Jerry’s is doing.
 
“When you take values and match them with your own, that’s where you don’t go wrong.”
 
After hearing from Sean Greenwood, it is clear that Ben & Jerry’s is more than just an ice cream company. Ice cream has become their vessel for sharing their stance on social justice issues and educating the public on these issues. To hear Sean’s full presentation, please view the video below.
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By: Sam Farland

I first heard about the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) my freshman year of college. It was my second semester, and Natalie Meek, the current president of PRSSA Kent, visited my Principles of PR class. She spoke with so much enthusiasm about the organization. I decided to sign up, little did I know this student organization would change my student and professional career forever.

I am thankful I decided to get involved in PRSSA Kent. I hardly ever missed a meeting since I joined back in 2018. The meetings were informative and helpful to make professional and peer connections. However, I didn't really start to become passionate about public relations until April of 2019 when I was elected as the Web and Social Media Manager. Through this position, I learned  about PRSSA and interacted with other Chapters across the country. I've had other social media positions before, but nothing compared to this opportunity. PRSSA Kent allowed me to be creative and take full reign of the social media platforms. I increased our Instagram's following by almost 200 followers.

PRSSA Kent even brought me global experience by allowing me the opportunity to travel with my fellow members to San Diego, California in October 2019 to attend the PRSSA International Conference. It was an opportunity I’ll never forget. It was a great bonding experience for all seven of us who attended. Being able to network with public relations peers and professionals from all over the country was a special experience. The speaker sessions were also a great opportunity to learn. My favorite session was with Erika Prime, Digital and Social Strategy Lead at Taco Bell. She provided so much knowledge. You can read more about that session in one of my previous blogs.

I am so excited to be elected as VP of Communications for my senior year of college. I’m looking forward to the virtual International Conference this semester. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I left California in October. If you’re a member of our Chapter you should really consider this opportunity! It could help you land a future internship or job and even make friends from all across the country! But I know my experiences with this organization doesn’t stop after this last conference. Even after I graduate I know there are an abundance of PRSA Chapters across the country that I could join. The benefits of this organization spans beyond college years. 

I'm very appreciative for all of the experiences, connections and life-long friends that PRSSA Kent has given me. It's really shaped who and what I want to be when I graduate. Without this organization, I would have felt so lost. It has helped me learn so much about the public relations industry, sometimes even more than my courses. I suggest that every public relations, communications or marketing major/minor takes advantage of this organization. It will help you find your place not only at Kent, but in the professional world.​

Special mention to our Spring 2020 PRSSA Kent graduates: 
Jill Golden – VP of Professional Relations, Leah Marxen – Treasurer, Britanei Eason, Kayla Proctor, Kody Elsayed and Jess Skitzki
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By: Jill Golden 
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Witnessing and experiencing a global pandemic is certainly not how I expected my senior year to end. Six weeks ago, I didn't think I would be in the situation I am in now. For four years I couldn't wait for my college graduation. I've always loved school, but I couldn't wait to start a new chapter in my life.
 
I was excited to dress in my cap and gown, cross the stage alongside my friends and invite my family to watch me take the next step in my future. This built up excitement has been taken away because of COVID-19. Even though my graduation is supposed to be postponed to an alternate date, I am no longer as excited as I once was. I feel like it just won't feel right to celebrate my graduation after months of finishing school. 
 
I also couldn't wait to take professional photos in my cap and gown on campus. This has been taken away from me as well. Instead, I got my creative juices flowing with the increase in free time and started thinking of a way to still do something similar. I decided to recruit my sister to take photos of me in the backyard while wearing my cousin's college graduation cap and gown. I also took an extra step and found my white high school tassel and dyed it dark red with food coloring to mimic the crimson College of Communication and Information tassel. While this isn't what I had imagined, it'll certainly make for a fun story in the future.
 
The other difficult part during this pandemic is how I didn't get the opportunity to say goodbye and good luck to classmates and professors, as well as take in the bittersweet feeling of experiencing my last day of school ever. Though for good reason, everything was halted so quickly, that I didn't get to take in my last moments at Kent State. As I type this I am trying to remember what my classes were like, and I am struggling to remember since I didn't know those classes would be the last.
 
The end of my senior year is definitely not like what I was expecting, but it has given me a different perspective on life. I've started thinking about how thankful I am for the health of my family, easy access to food, water and medical care and a safe and happy home. So while my graduation experience isn't what I was initially hoping for, I've found the good in this situation and it’s shown me what to be thankful for.