Upcoming Professional Development Events

As the academic year winds down for many of us, it is easy to let inexpensive or even free professional development events and seminars fall through the cracks. Whether you are graduating, working in an internship this summer or continuing with classes, keeping up with professional development throughout the year will help deepen your experience and sharpen your skills.

Below is a list of inexpensive or free events and webinars that you should consider participating in:

  • The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is hosting a social media-themed Regional Activity April 23-24. You will be able to learn about different technologies and how they are impacting the public relations profession. Consider attending to diversify your skills.
  • On Saturday, April 24, Otterbein PRSSA is hosting the “Public Relations Olympics.” Not only will attendees hear about managing the real Olympic Games, but speakers from various industry sectors will also be attendance. More details and registration information can be found here.
  • Have you considered attending graduate school? Are you planning to add APR after your name? A PRSA New Professionals Section teleseminar on April 30 will help you explore post-graduate options in public relations. The event is free. Click here to register.
  • PRWeek magazine is hosting a free two-day, online resource designed to educate attendees on social media innovations. Ben Edwards, vice president of digital strategy at IBM, will be speaking and the event is designed to be highly interactive. More information and registration can be found here.
  • Brazen Careerist, a social network of bloggers and young professionals, is hosting a free webinar with popular author, speaker and blogger Seth Godin. The webinar is themed “finding career stability,” and any young professional would benefit from the advice from an internationally renowned expert. Details can be found here.
  • For graduating seniors, the next HAPPO live event is designed for you. HAPPO stands for Help a PR Pro Out, and it is a movement that encourages public relations professionals to help unemployed colleagues find new employment. To learn more about participating in this free event, check out co-founder Valerie Simon’s post about how to get involved.

Will you be attending any of these events? Are there any other events PRSSA members should be looking out for?

1 thought on “Upcoming Professional Development Events

    • Author gravatar

      April, 2010

      It is my great pleasure to invite PRSSA membership to attend the 2010 Social Media Certificate offered by Drury University in June.

      Drury was the first university in the nation to develop a graduate-level SMC program and we anticipate attendance from across the nation. Our course is also a listed graduate course and can be transferred per transcript requests.

      Drury’s SMC offers a seated course June 5th-20th facilitated by four Ph.D.s in marketing, media, technology & strategic communication (PRSA Members Included!). We also offer a webinar version June 7th-July 1st with our Ph.D. designed curriculum facilitated by best-selling social media author and consultant Deltina Hay.

      Please follow our blog for weekly updates and posts from our faculty, the tentative curriculum abstracts, content delivery agenda, and more: http://www.socialmediacertificate.net

      Finally, professionals interested in joining the 2010 SMC should contact me immediately. Our seated course is almost full and our webinar version is already filling.

      Here’s to excellent social media use in 2010!

      Curt Gilstrap, Ph.D.
      Director, Social Media Certificate
      Director, Communication Graduate Program
      Assistant Professor of Communication
      Drury University
      Office: 417.873.4068
      cgilstrap01@drury.edu
      Twitter: @curtgilstrap

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