Assembly in Action: My Experience at the 2025 Leadership Assembly
Leadership can be a tough concept to grasp, especially as a student who has a million things to do at once. Luckily, PRSSA hosts a yearly event for Chapter leaders around the world to come together and learn about leadership as a Society. Leadership Assembly is a great way to network with like-minded students and professionals, learn about the importance of leadership and diversity, and make memories that will actually last a lifetime.
This was my first year attending Leadership Assembly, and if I could describe my experience in one word, I would use fulfilling. Every college student is on the hunt for community when they embark on their educational journey, and PRSSA has given me just that.
Every year at Leadership Assembly, each Chapter sends a delegate to elect the new PRSSA International Committee. Any member can run, so I decided to take a chance and put myself in the running for a position that stood out to me: vice president of Chapter development.
I was inspired to run for this position because I have spent the last year working tirelessly alongside my Chapter’s board to elevate the standards of our Chapter. When I stepped into my position as Chapter president, our Chapter was small and complacent. We had a good system, and things worked the way they were being operated, but we were not growing to our full potential as a Chapter.
Soon enough, I was contacted by Liv McCurdy, the current vice president of Chapter development. She was my first impression of what utilizing national resources could do for our Chapter. She offered support and advice that I could relate to, as she was also from a smaller Chapter. I felt encouraged. She made me see how easy it was to get involved at a national level. After I realized this, my Chapter and I set out on a mission. We started looking into requirements for the Pacesetter Award and Star Chapter recognition, and mapping out how we would meet each requirement. Soon enough, they were not just requirements; they were passion projects. We built relationships with local nonprofits, spread awareness about and educated ourselves on the PRSA Member Code of Ethics, revamped and elevated our outreach and recruitment efforts, and planned our executive boards’ first agency tour through an effort to establish a relationship with our sponsoring PRSA Chapter. Through each of the requirements, our Chapter’s impact was taken to the next level.
After experiencing what making national connections did for my Chapter, I wanted to help other Chapters do the same. Although I did not land the role of vice president of Chapter development, running was one of the best experiences I could have asked for. I was able to share my passion, my ideas and my love for PRSSA. I was met with an overwhelming sense of support and kindness. Everyone in the room was so kind to me and some even made sure to come talk to me about how much they liked my ideas and what I had to say about my experiences.
The experience made me realize how proud I was to represent Mississippi State University; the part I played in our Chapter winning a national award this year. After displaying my passion at Leadership Assembly, I am hopeful to still be able to contribute on the national level by serving on the Chapter Development subcommittee for the upcoming year.
My experience at the Leadership Assembly made me feel empowered, uplifted and educated. Whether it was listening to a panel, hearing from a speaker, running in the election or having dinner with new friends from other Chapters, I will never forget the memories I made and the happiness I experienced in Charlotte, North Carolina, this year. PRSSA is truly a community filled with the most fun, encouraging individuals, and I have never met anyone who has put themselves out there at a PRSSA meeting, conference or event and regretted it.
Do you want to make an impact? Get involved! According to a study done by the Center for the Study of Student Life at Ohio State University in 2020, moderately involved students were twice as likely to be considered for jobs than uninvolved students, and highly involved students were three times as likely. There are so many ways to stay updated on opportunities to collaborate nationally. Put yourself out there, get active on social media platforms, follow up with professionals and soak in the things that PRSSA has in store for you!
Chloe Martin is a senior studying communication and PR at Mississippi State University. She is MSU PRSSA’s Chapter president. She is passionate about outreach and helping others make impactful connections. In her free time, you can find her out with her friends or baking!
