Cardinal PR Gains Public Relations Student Society of America Status

The move to turn the agency into an official PRSSA chapter is part of a larger effort to align the college’s public relations programming with national standards, ensuring academic rigor.

The society is a pre-professional organization for students interested in public relations and communications. It strives to enhance education, broaden professional networks and provide resources for future careers. There are currently 10,000 students participating in more than 100 PRSSA chapters nationwide.

“PRSSA is the leading student organization for public relations in the industry, and having such an affiliation on our campus will certainly be a benefit to our students and strengthen our program,” said Dr. Jonathan Slater, an associate professor in the Center for Communication and Journalism.

“Under the new PRSSA guidelines, Cardinal PR, the student-run agency, will become an arm of the local chapter,” said Colleen Lemza, assistant professor in the Center for Communication and Journalism. “While Cardinal PR will continue to offer students a chance to gain hands-on experience, chapter activities will include much more than that.”

Members of the chapter will now be able to take part in national and regional conferences and networking opportunities. They will also have access to PRSSA alumni databases. In fact, the chapter is now able to seat a delegate at the PRSSA National Assembly. Kyle Kreig, president of Cardinal PR, attended the most recent meeting in North Carolina this March, thanks to a grant from the New York Capital Region Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America — the college’s sponsoring chapter.

“Obtaining this Chapter is an accomplishment that we can all be proud of,” Kreig said.