Progressions

Going Beyond Networking: PRSSA and the Community

In 2025, following multiple setbacks and a spring semester largely focused on recovery from Hurricane Helene, the Appalachian State PRSSA executive board sought to continue the growth of the Chapter through reviving the Western North Carolina Mixer with a fresh perspective. The foundation for the mixer was laid several years ago and began by an opportunity to build relationships with the local public relations community and Appalachian State students. 

Rather than solely uniting universities under the Western PRSA sponsor Chapter, the board reframed the event as an annual gathering for the local public relations community, while still maintaining ties to the broader PRSA network. The goal was clear: move the Chapter out of recovery and into sustainable growth by creating intentional, accessible opportunities for connection.

Planning for the fall semester began early. In June 2025, the executive board voluntarily began preparing for meetings, events and the Western North Carolina Mixer. As the semester kicked off, the Chapter focused on rebuilding internal connections alongside external ones. A lemonade stand helped reconnect PRSSA with faculty and students in the Department of Communication, followed by an interest meeting that saw increased attendance compared to previous years. This momentum carried through the semester, with Chapter meetings averaging 20 attendees, an increase from 13 in the spring.

Early in the semester, the board also recognized a disconnect between PRSSA, the department and other communication-related organizations at Appalachian State. In response, the Chapter hosted a small mixer to bring those groups together. The success of that event strengthened the board’s confidence in executing the larger Western North Carolina Mixer.

Appalachian State PRSSA Chapter President, Megan Disabella, worked closely with the Chapter’s Professional Adviser, Jacob Puckett, throughout the planning process, including selecting the event date and location, and connecting with established professionals. The executive board compiled a list of local professionals, alumni, guest speakers and professors to invite. However, as with many meaningful projects, the process was not without challenges. In the week leading up to the mixer, several professionals who had committed to attending and alluded to funding the event withdrew, requiring last-minute adjustments. The Chapter’s Director of Finance and Outreach Nora Shapiro worked with Disabella to change caterers and increase last-minute fundraising efforts to ensure the event could move forward without compromising the Chapter’s future financial stability.

The preparation and teamwork established months earlier helped the board approach these setbacks with confidence rather than panic. That resilience carried into the night of the event.

The 2025 Western North Carolina Mixer welcomed approximately 25 students and 12 professionals to campus for an evening centered on conversation and community. Among those in attendance was Autumn Dagenhart, the former president who first launched the mixer in 2023. The night opened with time to mingle and network, followed by a panel of professionals sharing their experiences, challenges and advice. Puckett served as the keynote speaker, and Disabella announced the Chapter’s new Mentorship Match program, an initiative designed to extend connection beyond a single evening.

“It was a full circle moment to be able to host an event which began when I first joined PRSSA and to have Autumn in attendance,” Disabella said. “While the process may have gone differently than we had planned, I could not have asked for a better turnout from the community. I believe this event will only continue to grow.”

By the end of the evening, nine professionals had volunteered to participate in the Mentorship Match program and multiple attendees expressed interest in seeing the mixer become an annual event. The impact of these connections quickly extended beyond the event itself, as Chapter members began reaching out to professionals for guidance on internships and early-career roles, reinforcing the idea that meaningful connection is built over time with intention.

Just four days after the mixer, members of the executive board traveled to Washington, D.C. for PRSA ICON, marking the Chapter’s first attendance in several years. As the semester concluded, the executive board reflected on the Chapter’s accomplishments and growth over the past year with anticipation for the future. After a successful year, the Chapter looks to continue building relationships within the community, both in Boone and around the nation. 

Through careful planning, resilience in the face of setbacks and a renewed commitment to community, Appalachian State’s PRSSA Chapter turned a relaunch into a statement of growth. The Western North Carolina Mixer was not just a successful event, but a reflection of where the Chapter has been and an indication of where it is going next.