Zina Kumok | May 4, 2011
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| Photo by Ryan Dorgan |
| PRSSA members Kristina Hunter, left, and junior Amy Bishop have helped guide the organization's many activities this spring, including a regional conference that drew 200 attendees. Bishop will edit the Forum, PRSSA's national publication, in the fall. |
Some, for example, will start working right away on editing the Forum, a national PRSSA publication that includes content from its many chapters. After a competitive bidding process, IU’s chapter received the responsibility of coordinating the issues, and junior and chapter vice president Amy Bishop was named editor-in-chief. The team’s first deadline is soon after fall semester starts.
PRSSA adviser and journalism lecturer Dennis Elliott said editing the Forum is a coup.
“It’s a nice way that we’re increasing the visibility of the chapter at the School of Journalism,” he said.
The group has achieved several accomplishments this school year. In March, the chapter won the PRSSA national FUNdraising Bowl, which means it will be featured in a fundraising guide national PRSSA is putting together.
“PRSSA national tries to provide as many resources for their chapters as they can,” said Bishop, who was vice president this year. “One is to put together a playbook of successful fundraising ideas.”
By winning, the chapter is also entered to win two free registrations for the national PRSSA convention in October in Orlando, Fla. Students are competing with two other student chapters.
Next year’s president, Kristen Ditsch, said winning the registrations would greatly help any members interested in attending the conference.
“I went last year and the school is able to provide some money, but you still have to pay for airfare, hotels and meals,” she said.
Even if it doesn’t win, the chapter has racked up an impressive number of achievements. In April, it hosted one of 11 regional conferences, the culmination of months of planning and problem-solving. But Bishop says that the reaction from the 200 people at the conference was worth it.
“We got great feedback from attendees and speakers as well,” Bishop said.
Elliott said theses activities are a way to keep the group’s members involved.
“There’s something going on all the time,” he said.
Ditsch said one of the goals this school year was to increase the student chapter’s involvement with the national organization.
“That’s something we were trying to capitalize on and build on from last year,” Ditsch said.
Bishop shares this goal.
“One thing I can hope to do next year is to continue to be as involved and continue to keep our members active and to find new things to do,” Bishop said.
Ditsch said that the chapter relies on their executive board to make sure there are enough events and opportunities for their members.
“The members that we have are excited and passionate about PR,” she said, “and I think that’s why we’re doing so well.”
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