This year I was fortunate enough to be elected the PRSSA Chapter President at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Thanks to my supportive fellow executive board members, I was inspired every day to better myself. Without their encouragement and support, I would not be where I am today.
As president, I was able to have the opportunity of attending the PRSSA 2019 Leadership Rally. I learned so much and had the pleasure of listening to many talented and passionate speakers with extensive experience working in the public relations field.
At Rally, Gary McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA, an expert communicator with extensive experience in public affairs and media relations, spoke on the topic of how student leaders of PRSSA Chapters could innovate and better their meetings.
He came up with a simple three-step method and compiled it into an acronym called FAB. FAB is divided into three different categories: fun, accessible and beneficial.
Fun – Making your meetings fun for those who attend will often result in students returning. McCormick explained that the chances of students returning to meetings are slim if they are not having a fun time. In this category, McCormick also mentioned that having food, fun activities that engage students and including students personally will ensure that the students will enjoy themselves more.
Accessibility – Accessibility means making all attendees comfortable while they are at your meeting. Showing attendees how excited you are that they came will put them at ease. Those who are attending your meetings are stepping out of their comfort zone to attend a meeting full of people they may not know. In exchange, making them feel comfortable and welcome may ensure that they continue to return.
Beneficial – PRSSA is a beneficial organization to be a part of and this should be shared with others. McCormick said in his presentation to observe other successful organizations on campus and see what beneficial ideas they might have and utilize these in your own Chapters. If there is something that your meetings can offer, chances are that people are more likely to come, return and spread the word about your meetings on campus.
After hosting many PRSSA meetings, I have learned that you should always be aware of ways to improve and remain inspirational. Above all, always be kind to everyone because you never know if PRSSA is the new safe haven for people to express themselves and their passion for public relations and communications.
Sage Moubarake is a student studying public relations at Sam Houston State University in Texas. She is the president of her PRSSA Chapter and loves PRSSA along with the opportunities it provides. Follow Sage on Instagram @sage_rochelle and add her on LinkedIn.