Although the PRSSA\/PRSA Relationship is a two-way street, you should take the initiative to make contact and enhance this connection. There are endless ways to make the relationship successful and beneficial for both Chapters. Follow this outline to help form and maintain this relationship:<\/p>\n
1. CONTACT <\/strong>your sponsoring PRSA Chapter. Try finding their website, Facebook page, Twitter account or YouTube channel. Students aren\u2019t the only ones who use social media to connect. If you\u2019re not sure which PRSA Chapter sponsors your Chapter, contact vice president of professional development Therese Kuster<\/a> or Headquarters<\/a> to find out.<\/p>\n 2. CONNECT<\/strong> with the Chapter through a variety of events. Try attending each other\u2019s meetings, using Skype if distance is an issue. Also consider a job shadowing day, mentoring program, internship program, Tweet-Ups, luncheons or speed-networking .<\/p>\n 3. COORDINATE<\/strong> these events yourself; don\u2019t rely on the PRSA Chapter to do all the work. Event planning is a part of public relations so use this as an opportunity to practice. If your Chapter doesn\u2019t have the resources to plan something big, simply invite PRSA members to an existing event like a general meeting or awards banquet.<\/p>\n 4. CONTINUE <\/strong>this relationship beyond one or two interactions. It may be up to you to follow up on e\u2011mails and phone calls; e\u2011mails can get buried in a busy professional\u2019s inbox. Your sponsoring PRSA Chapter is a built-in resource and the professionals are generally willing to help. Someday you\u2019ll be joining them in the professional world so this relationship is important to them as well.<\/p>\n 5. CAPITALIZE <\/strong>on what PRSA offers to PRSSA members. Not only does PRSA offer financial support for scholarships each year, but your membership to PRSSA also entitles you to a variety of other benefits. PRSA hosts podcasts<\/a> , a blog<\/a> and a monthly newspaper, PR<\/em> Tactics,<\/em> that\u2019s sent to your Chapter. PRSA also hosts a variety of webinars<\/a> and other events to which you can receive discounted rates. Networking opportunities and access to the Anvil Award Case Studies<\/a> are helpful as well.<\/p>\n The relationship between your PRSSA Chapter and sponsoring PRSA Chapter is everything you make it. You will reap the rewards from connecting with your PRSA Chapter. What have you done to connect with your sponsoring PRSA Chapter?<\/p>\n For those of you attending National Conference: The PRSA Diversity Committee invites you to attend the joint “Unity Mixer”<\/a> 6:30\u20138:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 16,\u00a0 at the Black Fox Lounge.<\/p>\n