​Kent State Public Relations Student Group Wins Three National Awards

Katherine Masko
Kent State Public Relations major
PRSSA Kent VP of Communication
kmasko@kent.edu

​Michele Ewing, APR, Fellow PRSA
Professor/Public Relations Sequence Coordinator
PRSSA Kent Faculty Adviser
330-672-4288 / meewing@kent.edu

For immediate release
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Kent State Public Relations Student Group Wins Three National Awards
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Kent, OH (Nov. 15, 2022) – Kent State’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA Kent) won three national awards, including the prestigious PRSSA Teahan Chapter Award for University Service work done during the 2021-2022 school year. The national award was announced during the Awards Ceremony Brunch at International Public Relations Student Society Conference in Dallas Nov. 14.
 
Kent State won the University Service award for the second time in Chapter history. The University Service award category judges voluntary projects that benefit the Chapter’s community. Some projects in the Kent State community represented in this award are:

• Campus collaborations with Kent State Women’s Center, Student Multicultural Center and First Star Academy
• Peer mentoring program to guide younger students studying public relations
• Partnership with Akron PRSA on hosting the YouToo Digital Strategy Conference
• Participation in the PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition to build awareness for Lymphoma Research Foundation
• High school student outreach to give students a glimpse into the Kent State college experience

 
“This national recognition speaks to the caliber of our students’ leadership and talent,” Faculty Adviser and Professor Michele Ewing said. “Earning recognition in the service category also shines a light on our students’ genuine commitment to collaborate and serve others. We’re so proud of these PRSSA students and alumni.”
 
PRSSA Kent was also recognized as a Star Chapter in Dallas, recognizing the Chapter for outstanding leadership and programming. Current PRSSA Kent President, Kayla Polansky, emphasized how nice it was to receive the award in person.
 
“We are so elated to receive this year’s University Service 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 2021-2022 PRSSA President and 2022 Kent State graduate, Zachary Zdanowicz, 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 am honored to be recognized through PRSSA by earning the National Gold Key award,” Zdanowicz said. “This organization provided me so many tools and resources that not only helped me through my academic career, but have helped me in the professional world. If it weren’t for PRSSA, I don’t believe I would be where I am today, and for that, I am proud to hold this award.”
 
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 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.
 
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.