Betsy Day

Betsy Day

With March being National Women’s Month, Samford University’s PRSSA Chapter will be showcasing and honoring the wonderful women of public relations. One woman in particular sticks out to us. Betsy Plank, or shall I say “The First Lady of public relations,” hits close to home as she was a graduate from the University of Alabama. Also, the Plank Center in […]

Meet the Living Legends [National Conference Recap]

Session: Meet the Living Legends of Public Relations Presenters: Bridget Coffing, chief communications officer, emeritus, McDonald’s Corporation; Mike Fernandez, global chair of corporate and financial practice, Burson-Marsteller; Moderator: Brian Price, digital marketing manager, Starwood Retail Partners Recap: Bridget Coffing and Mike Fernandez are two accomplished business professionals who both pushed through diversity boundaries in the workplace. Having intersected in their […]

Alabama, Boston, North Carolina—January and February Regional Conference Preview

Regional Conferences are kicking off this month, with schools from all over the country ready to host conferences for everyone to enjoy. The University of Alabama is first on the list, hoping to help all attendees fine-tune their public relations skills. Boston University and the combined forces of Elon University and University of North Carolina will keep the ball rolling […]

Celebrate Public Relations with the Plank Center

Ten years ago, the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations was established and named after the “first lady of public relations,” Betsy Plank. The board of trustees at The University of Alabama established the Plank Center on February 4, 2005, to develop research, scholarships and forums that advance the ethical practice of public relations. The Plank Center has become […]

#PlankMentor Honoree Panel Inspires Students to Succeed

Event: #PlankMentor, DePaul University Presenters: Patrick Ford, Burson Marsteller; Wendi Strong, USAA; Andy Polansky, Weber Shandwick; Lynne Sallot, University of Georgia; Jose Rivera, California State University, San Bernardino Recap: Before the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ fifth annual Milestones in Mentoring celebration on Oct. 30, public relations students from across the country gathered in Chicago at DePaul University […]

Creating Your Own Legacy

Creating Your Own Legacy

Note from the Editor: This post is the prelude to a “Legends of Public Relations” series on Progressions, premiering on Jan. 13, 2014. Revisit Progressions over the next few weeks to gain advice and inspiration from four legendary public relations professionals. When asked by PRSSA National President Brian Price to reflect on the “Legacies from Legends in Public Relations” book, two significant life […]