Position Spotlight: Vice President of Chapter Development, Sankalp Sharma
ABOUT THE VP OF CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT:
What does the vice president of chapter development do?
As the vice president of Chapter development, I handle outreach to the PRSSA Chapters. I lead the the District Ambassadors, who help promote PRSSA events, share updates from PRSSA National, and support Chapters in various ways. I also lead the Community Service Initiative, where I work with a non-profit to raise awareness and make an impact in the community.
Why do you think your role is meaningful?
I believe my role is meaningful because I get to meet and connect with different Chapters. I really enjoy meeting new people and learning from them; being able to meet with Chapters from all over is a gift. I also believe that by spending time with different Chapters and learning their practices — whether it be in person or virtual — I get to see some of the most motivated PR students in the world, and that warms my heart to hear everyone’s journey.
How have you leveraged your subcommittee?
I lead the team of District Ambassadors, and leading them has been a blessing. For the first few months, I would have a check-in with the team, but as the year went on, every Ambassador began flourishing on their own. Managing that team has been very easy because of how talented each member is. Everyone gets their work done, and if they have any questions, they forward them to me, and we move on from there. The outreach has been very successful because the DA team has all been on top of their game.
What has been the biggest takeaway you’ve had from your time on the PRSSA National Committee?
The biggest takeaway from my time on the National Committee has to be the incredible connections that I have made during my time. I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with some incredible leaders — both student and professional — throughout the year and learned incredible things from all of them.
What has been your favorite part of the term so far?
My favorite part of the term so far was definitely ICON. Being able to meet with the rest of the National Committee and so many incredible students was such an incredible experience.
Why did you apply for PRSSA National?
I applied to be on the National Committee because I wanted to get more involved with PRSSA. I had just finished my first term as a District Ambassador and absolutely loved the experience, so I wanted to dive in further.
What advice would you share with your future successor?
I would say that the most important piece of advice is to check your email every single day. I tend to get an email from a PRSSA Chapter or an update about PRSSA almost every day, so making sure you can dedicate the right amount of time. Checking your emails regularly is incredibly important because you don’t want to miss any questions.
LIGHTNING ROUND:
What is your dream job?
My dream job would be to work in Crisis PR and hope to travel around the world solving problems.
What is your favorite animal?
It is tied between a dog and an elephant.
Which app have you spent the most time on this school year?
Definitely Instagram.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you visit?
I would like to go to Santorini, Greece.
What’s your go-to coffee shop order?
Iced Caramel Macchiato.
