The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a pre-professional organization meant to teach and provide aspiring communication professionals with the tools they need to hit the ground running after graduation. PRSSA has chapters all around the United States, as well as in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru. From speakers, to conferences, field trips, volunteering, and campaigns, PRSSA allows for students to gain real-world experience.
PRSSA has public relations in the name, but it can provide so much to all who are interested in the field of communication: Journalism, media studies, arts management, interpersonal communication, broadcasting and more. You aren’t just learning about public relations but also how to find internships, have amazing resumes and cover letters, create valuable relationships, and rock interviews. Being in PRSSA puts you five steps ahead of your peers, gives you pre- and post-graduation opportunities, and allows you to have a lot of fun at the same time.
Here are just some of the great opportunities you can expect when you join PRSSA:
1. Real-life experience
Public relations and communication are all about connecting with others. PRSSA allows you to gain real experience before hitting the job field by allowing opportunities to work with clients. From campaigns that allow for you to help out other campus organizations, to student-run firms that help on a bit of a larger community scale, you’ll have experiences to add to your resume and materials to boost your portfolio.
2. National networking
PRSSA is an international organization. Through large events, like National Conference, National Assembly and Leadership Rally, members have the opportunity to meet other students from across the country. These connections can help just as much as professional connections do when it comes to getting your dream internships.
3. Internship opportunities
Speaking of such, PRSSA is a perfect way to help students find internships before the rest of their classmates. PRSSA not only prepares you to find an internship but also brings opportunities to members. Through databases, like the PRSSA Internship Center, and various speakers. Internship opportunities are available right at the fingertips of members.
4. Mentors
A mentor is an amazing resource to have while you are in college. Mentors can guide students and help them to be the best students possible so that they can then be the best graduates possible. Students find mentors through speakers during meetings, conferences and through internships.
5. Community involvement
PRSSA is a great way for students to get out and help their communities. Through various volunteering opportunities, members can help others while also bonding with the rest of their chapter. Volunteering and public relations go hand-in-hand through the love of connecting with individuals.
6. Philanthropic activities
Another way that you can give back to your communities through PRSSA is through various philanthropic events. Many chapters will perform a philanthropic initiative each year: Maybe it’s through coordinating a run/walk for Alzheimer’s or maybe through organizing a food drive to help out a local pantry.
7. Travel and national experiences
PRSSA is a great way to get you integrated in your campus communities, but it also can allow you to visit and explore other communities as well. Through conferences and field trips, you can connect with professionals from all across the country and learn from businesses that you may not have the opportunity to learn from on your campus.
8. Professional development workshops
Meetings and conferences give members the tools they need to help them hit the ground running. From resume workshops and critiques to LinkedIn lessons, members can have professional looking materials to help them stand out amongst the rest of their classmates.
9. Direct Connections
Networking can scare people at times when they don’t know where to start. Luckily for them, PRSSA allows for the professional contacts to be brought right to members. Through speakers and field trips, members can connect to professionals in a more casual environment and make personal connections that can impact the rest of their careers.
10. Amazing friendships
Last but not least, PRSSA allows for students to make amazing friendships. Being around other students who share the same career passions as you is a great way to make memories. You can become much closer to your classmates through everything that PRSSA has to offer; a much better friendship than one you might make in a classroom.
For more on PRSSA, check out their website: https://prssa.prsa.org/
