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Chloe Wilson-Henline
Kent State Public Relations major PRSSA Kent VP of Communications [email protected] Michele Ewing, APR, Fellow PRSA Professor/Public Relations Sequence Coordinator PRSSA Kent Faculty Adviser 330-672-4288 / [email protected] For immediate release Kent State Public Relations Student Group Wins Two National Awards and Two National Student Scholarships Kent, OH (Oct. 21, 2023) – Kent State’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA Kent) won two national awards during the school year as well as two scholarships awarded to an executive board member. These national awards were announced during the Awards Ceremony Brunch at the International Public Relations Student Society Conference in Nashville Oct 14. "Working with PRSSA Kent students is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role as a professor,” Faculty Adviser and Professor Michele Ewing said. “I witnessed the practical application of classroom knowledge and the transformation of these students into thoughtful leaders.” The PRSSA leaders dedicate extensive hours in planning professional development programs to offer their peers invaluable opportunities to learn from public relations professionals nationwide. These initiatives breathe life into the diverse career paths in public relations and give students a glimpse into the exciting trajectories their studies can pave. PRSSA Kent was recognized as a Star Chapter in Nashville, recognizing the Chapter for outstanding leadership and programming. Current PRSSA Kent President, Madison Goerl, emphasized how rewarding it was to receive the award in person. “We are so elated to receive this year’s Star Chapter Award from the 2022 ICON PRSSA Conference,” she said. “This award shows the hard work and dedication of our previous members who continue to inspire our current students to constantly strive for better.” Alongside the Chapter winning a National Award, former 2022-2023 PRSSA President and 2023 Kent State graduate, Kayla Polansky from Olmsted Falls, Ohio, won the National Gold Key Award, PRSSA’s highest individual honor. The National Gold Key Award recognizes students with outstanding leadership qualities and academic excellence in public relations within their PRSSA chapter. “I was so honored to receive the Gold Key Award,” Polanksy said. “Being part of the PRSSA Kent Chapter and jumping into leadership roles throughout my Kent State career truly shaped who I am as a young professional freshly entering the PR industry. Every faculty member, fellow student, and fellow chapter member is a piece of this award, and without them, I would not be where I am today.” Current Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Co-Chair of the PRSSA Kent Chapter, junior public relations major Chania Crawford from Madison, Ohio, was awarded two scholarships at the conference, the Gary Yoshimura Scholarship and the PRSA Foundation Travel Grant. These scholarships help fund an individual's educational pursuits and travel expenses to conferences helping to further skills and leadership in PRSSA. “I feel so honored to receive these scholarships,” Crawford said. “They allow me to come to these conferences and develop my public relations skills and relationships with my network.” About PRSSA Kent The Kent State Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA Kent) was established in 1968 as one of the 14 original Alpha Chapters of PRSSA. The student-run organization collaborates with its parent chapter, the PRSA Akron Area Chapter/PRSA Greater Cleveland Chapter, to coordinate meetings and events that offer professional development and networking opportunities to Kent State students interested in the public relations and communications industry. The PRSSA Kent Chapter and the students who participate consistently win national awards, placing the Chapter in the top tier nationwide. For more information about PRSSA Kent, visit www.prssakent.com. About Kent State University’s Public Relations Sequence The public relations sequence at Kent State University is part of the School of Media and Journalism, a nationally renowned program that offers degrees in advertising, digital media, journalism and public relations. Kent State boasts the only public relations program in Ohio that is both certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). For more information about Kent State’s School of Media and Journalism and its public relations sequence, visit www.kent.edu/mdj. ### About the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. Founded in 1967 by its parent organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSSA includes nearly 7,000 student members and advisers and is active on nearly 375 colleges and university campuses across the U.S. and in Argentina, Columbia, Peru and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.prssa.org.
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 Jada Miles, 2021-21 PRSSA Kent President and Assistant Account Executive at Ruder Finn Izzy Stewart Kent State Public Relations major PRSSA Kent DEI Co-chair [email protected] Michele Ewing, APR, Fellow PRSA Professor/Public Relations Sequence Coordinator PRSSA Kent Faculty Adviser 330-672-4288 / [email protected] For Immediate Release Kent State Public Relations Student Group Earns Seven National Honors Kent, OH (Nov. 1, 2020) — Kent State’s Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter (PRSSA Kent) earned seven national awards for the work done throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. The national awards were announced during a virtual award ceremony at the International Public Relations Society Conference in late October. For the first time in Chapter history, PRSSA Kent won two Teahan Awards, the highest Chapter honors:
Both categories were judged on creativity, featured content, design and overall appearance. The organization used its monthly newsletter and website to keep the community connected during the 2020-2021 school year, when everyone was apart due to the pandemic. “As they work on the Chapter’s communication, we often discuss applying strategies and skills they’re learning in the classroom. Earning Teahan honors for the website and newsletter speaks to the students’ abilities to successfully master course concepts — that’s music to all their professors’ ears,” Faculty Adviser and Professor Michele Ewing says. “All programming and communication were virtually delivered the entire year. PRSSA played a key role in helping students feel connected and engaged learning about the public relations field.” Two alumnae board members, Jada Miles, '21, and Samantha Farland, '21, were awarded the National Gold Key, PRSSA’s highest individual honor. This award recognizes outstanding academic excellence in public relations and leadership in PRSSA. Miles served as President and Farland as the Vice President of Communications during the 2020-2021 year. Miles currently works at Ruder Finn, an independent global communications and creative agency in New York City, as an Assistant Account Executive. In her role, she finds herself using the skills and confidence she gained from the organization, every day. She says: “PRSSA helped me grow significantly and was a major factor in shaping me into the professional I am today, so receiving the Gold Key award meant a lot to me.”  Samantha Farland, 2020-21 PRSSA VP of Communication and Public Relations, Assistant Account Executive at Marcus Thomas LLC Farland is now an Assistant Account Executive at Marcus Thomas LLC, an independent advertising and digital marketing agency in Cleveland. She says PRSSA Kent allowed her to see her coursework come to life. She says: “This organization was a big part of my college experience, and I'm so happy that all my hard work was recognized in the end.”
As Vice President of Communications for PRSSA Kent in 2020-21, Farland played a big role in the Teahan-winning newsletter. “I was able to increase the open rate by 7.5 percent overall, compared to the year prior, and I did that with a more strategic approach to content and distribution timing,” Farland says. “I am so proud that our Chapter was able to win this award and very happy to see that the hard work of myself and others really paid off.” PRSSA Kent also was recognized as a Star Chapter, and Kent State’s Bateman Blue team, which won an honorable mention in the 2021 PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition earlier this year, was honored. Additionally, student Ray Bukhari, the Chapter's Special Events Coordinator, earned the PRSA ICON Conference Grant. Current PRSSA President Zachary Zdanowicz, '22, says that these awards have become inspiration for the Chapter this school year. “Winning these awards made it all feel worth it. Now, as this year's Chapter President, this recognition has driven me to make sure our Chapter is continuing on the path of success and continuously elevating our work.” About the Public Relations Student Society of America The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. Founded in 1968 by its parent organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSSA includes more than 11,000 student members and advisers, and is active at more than 370 colleges and universities. For more information about PRSSA, visit www.prssa.org. About PRSSA Kent The Kent State Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA Kent) was established in 1968 as one of the 14 original Alpha Chapters of PRSSA. The student-run organization collaborates with its parent chapter, the PRSA Akron Area Chapter, to coordinate meetings and events that offer professional development and networking opportunities to Kent State students interested in the public relations and communications industry. The PRSSA Kent Chapter and the students who participate consistently win national awards, placing the Chapter in the top tier nationwide. For more information about PRSSA Kent, visit www.prssakent.com. About Kent State University’s Public Relations Sequence The public relations sequence at Kent State University is part of the School of Media and Journalism, a nationally renowned program that offers degrees in advertising, digital media, journalism and public relations. Kent State boasts the only public relations program in Ohio that is both certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). For more information about Kent State’s School of Media and Journalism and its public relations sequence, visit www.kent.edu/mdj. ### By: Amelia Workman
Every other Wednesday at Kent State University’s Franklin Hall, students meet from many different majors and backgrounds to share their love for the public relations and communications field. Smiles fill the room, as members seek to grow as aspiring communications professionals. Kent State’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a pre-professional public relations organization open to students of any major, with meetings focused on many different topics centered around public relations. The Kent Chapter won “Chapter of the Year” at the 2019 International PRSSA Conference and continues to make a name for itself on a national level. Faculty advisor Michele Ewing, has provided direction to the organization for 16 years. “The PRSSA Kent students invest countless hours to serve members, the campus and community. It was rewarding to see their dedication and work recognized," Ewing said. Meeting topics frequently discussed include: networking, landing an internship, LinkedIn workshops and the many different sectors of PR. Members meet with professionals to learn more about the growing industry. PRSSA members have gained countless opportunities from the organization, as well as the ability to obtain leadership positions. Sam Farland, a junior public relations student at Kent State, holds the position of Web and Social Media Manager. She was elected last year and manages the organization’s social media platforms and website. She said PRSSA gave her the opportunity to possess leadership skills. “PRSSA has given me the tools to succeed in the PR industry. This knowledge has helped me define my career path and figure out my true purpose in life.” Students not only gain industry knowledge and skills at the meetings, but also at the international conference and other events. Last year, members traveled to San Diego to attend the PRSSA International Conference. Conference panels included topics such as personal branding, crisis communication, celebrity PR and much more. They were also able to attend conference sessions with renowned people such as Bob Woodward, Associate Editor at The Washington Post; Laura Ling, award-winning journalist and Vincente Fox, former President of Mexico. Public relations is a growing industry. Employers value content creation, personal branding and enhanced communication skills. Professors like Ewing stress the importance of the industry to students and members of PRSSA. She even highlights the importance of the field during crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic. “Public relations offers the opportunity to make meaningful differences for nonprofit organizations, social causes, corporations and many other organizations." Ewing said. "We’re advocates to help people, causes and companies. Just look at the value of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic-PR professionals are developing and managing communication to keep people safe.” PRSSA allows students to meet new people who help them continue their journeys throughout college. Every major is welcome to attend the meetings and have the option to become a dues-paying member. Meetings are held every other Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in 213 Franklin Hall. You can contact VP of Membership, Ally Viano with any questions. To join you can also apply here.
This semester two students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) traveled to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. with the National Millennial Community (NMC) to participate in think tank discussions with key influencers in entertainment, business, and government.
NMC is a group that works to change the conversation about the millennial generation and engage in meaningful dialogue with corporate, foundation, governmental and nonprofit leaders across the country. Founded in January 2016 by IW Group Inc. CCO Bill Imada, NMC has 36 member campuses in 35 states, ranging from Alaska to Florida and from Massachusetts to Hawaii, plus the District of Columbia. Kent State joined NMC earlier this year. Public relations majors Bella Grossi, Natalie Meek, Ava Moss and Molly Spillman are the chapter’s inaugural members. Senior public relations major Grossi traveled to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in March to meet with agencies and corporations such as Tierney, Vault Communications, WeWork, Comcast, the YWCA, PBS and Lockheed Martin. She also visited the White House where she met with national leaders, Steven Munisteri (Deputy Assistant to the President), Andrew Giuliani (Public Liaison Assistant to the President) and Laura Pence (Policy Advisor to the Sr. Counselor) to discuss what the administration is doing about the opioid epidemic. “I am so grateful to have the chance to change the conversation about millennials and contribute to discussions focused on the betterment of our country,” Grossi said. Kent State is currently the only university in Ohio part of the NMC, so the students not only represent the university, but also Ohio millennials during the nationwide discussions. “I’m really honored to be able to represent Ohio and Kent State on a national level,” Grossi said. “During think tank discussions and focus groups, its eye-opening to hear about everyone's different opinions based on their experiences and where they are from.” Ava Moss experienced sunny California when she visited Los Angeles with the NMC in January. While there, she met with big names in the entertainment and public relations industries. Moss’s favorite stops included Walt Disney Imagineering, Weber Shandwick/The Axis Agency and Paramount Studios. Discussions with employees and executives ranged from millennial work/life balance to tips on how to be successful in your desired line of work. The biggest lesson Ava said she took from her time in LA was to always listen as strongly as you voice your opinion. “To me, being in the National Millennial Community is an opportunity to make my voice heard and know for a fact my opinions matter,” Moss said. “Listening to others’ experiences and opinions helped me in becoming a more well-rounded and empathetic person.” Kent State’s NMC chapter operates as a faculty-appointed subcommittee of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and associate professors Luke Armour and Stefanie Moore are faculty advisors of the group. Public relations alumnus Chris Baldwin, founder and principal of True Digital Communications, serves as a professional advisor for the group. “I’m excited about the future of this community and how this group will evolve as our millennial students graduate and we usher in a new generation,” Moore said. Learn more about the NMC at http://www.nationalmillennialcommunity.com/. Learn more about PRSSA Kent at http://www.prssakent.com. |
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