{"id":645,"date":"2011-02-02T20:10:50","date_gmt":"2011-02-03T01:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.prssa.org\/?p=645"},"modified":"2018-08-08T12:17:20","modified_gmt":"2018-08-08T16:17:20","slug":"so-you-want-to-be-on-the-national-committee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2011\/02\/02\/so-you-want-to-be-on-the-national-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"So You Want to Be on the National Committee?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Borrowing the opening line of one of my favorite Nickelodeon<\/a> shows growing up:\u00a0\u201cDo you have it? GUTS!\u201d<\/p>\n

OK, so being on the National Committee<\/a> doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re going to be facing the Aggro Crag (or playing Slam Dunk, or completing the Tornado Run), but it does mean you\u2019re choosing a path that requires hard work, dedication and commitment. National Committee members are tasked with playing a role in advancing a 10,000-member Society. They execute a platform and serve as the face of the Society at the local and national level.<\/p>\n

In addition to all the hard work, being a leader in PRSSA is one of the most rewarding things I\u2019ve ever been a part of, both personally and professionally. It\u2019s how I\u2019ve met some of my closest friends, and it\u2019s how I landed a job at one of the world\u2019s largest public relations agencies. I can\u2019t recommend the experience enough.<\/p>\n

So, if you have GUTS, here are the steps you should take if you want to run for the PRSSA 2011\u20132012 National Committee. (I promise I\u2019m done with the GUTS references now.)<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read the<\/strong> Situation Analysis<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em> My committee and I didn\u2019t put this 60-page document together just<\/em> for our health. It\u2019s meant to serve as a guide for Chapter and national leaders, both current and future, to build plans and guide our Society in the future. Don\u2019t just read the sections on the position you\u2019re interested in \u2014 be sure to get a full understanding of the Society.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Schedule calls.<\/strong> Be sure to give the current position holder a call to get their perspective on things. Also, I\u2019d love to chat with you and let you pick my brain. However, if you haven\u2019t read the Situation Analysis yet, and you ask, \u201cSo, what do you do?\u201d you\u2019re not making the most of your resources.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fill out the PRSSA Candidate Nomination Form on the<\/strong> Assembly <\/a>webpage<\/strong>.<\/strong> Be sure to be honest, detailed and most importantly, be yourself. Submit it on time and follow the application guidelines.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Build a platform.<\/strong> In the time leading up to Assembly, you should put together a list of your main goals, if elected. Know that this will probably change throughout your National Committee term, but having a concrete vision will be a good start to your term.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t campaign.<\/strong> I recommend not advertising the fact that you\u2019re running for a National Committee position. In fact, it\u2019s not allowed. Remember, all delegates will receive a copy of your Candidate Nomination Form, so they will have all the information they will need prior to arriving in Seattle.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prepare a five-minute speech.<\/strong> Trust me when I say five minutes is NOT a lot of time. Try to boil down the key goals you will try to accomplish if elected to the National Committee. Also, I recommend practicing your speech in front of peers, focusing on the main points. It\u2019s awkward, but it helps you prepare for when you\u2019re making your speech in front of 120+ PRSSA members.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

RELAX.<\/strong> It\u2019s a nerve-racking process, but no matter what the result is, this experience builds character. Anyone who applies for a National Committee position has my utmost respect because it takes GUTS to put yourself out there. (That was the last one, I promise.)<\/p>\n

I asked my National Committee colleagues to offer their two cents:<\/p>\n

\u201cPreparation is everything. Take time to thoroughly understand the roles and responsibilities of the desired 2011\u20132012 National Committee position and the other National Committee duties to see how all parties function as an organized unit. Prepare mentally and emotionally to be solid in yourself and skills. Do not hesitate to reach out to\u00a0us<\/a>!\u201d \u2014 Vice President of Public Relations Danielle DuPree<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen creating your platform, keep the smaller and newer Chapters in mind. They are the ones who will be coming to you for advice about increasing membership, becoming active in national events and building a stronger Chapter.\u201d \u2014 Vice President of Regional Activities Rachel Sprung<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to understand where the position is, and where it came from, will help people understand where it\u2019s headed for the future. A lot of the question and answer portion is based on information that comes from the Situation, and the only way to be prepared is to know it and love it.\u201d \u2014 Vice President of Professional Development Therese Kuster<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSituation \u2014 Action \u2014 Results. For the rest of your life, answer questions in that order.\u201d \u2014 Vice President of Internships\/Job Services Scott Thornburg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cDo not allow your uncertainties control your opportunities. If you have an opportunity, take it!\u201d \u2014 FORUM<\/em> Editor in Chief Kara Robinson<\/a><\/p>\n

“Stick to your strengths. The National Committee has a variety of positions that rely on different character traits – AP and PRSSA Style perfection, impeccable organization and creative research to name a few. Research each position and go for the one that fits your strengths best. Remember, there’s always room to expand your skill set and try new things within your platform.” \u2014 Vice President of Chapter Development Kimberly Ciesla<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

This is a guest post from National President <\/em>Nick Lucido<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Borrowing the opening line of one of my favorite Nickelodeon shows growing up:\u00a0\u201cDo you have it? GUTS!\u201d OK, so being on the National Committee doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re going to be facing the Aggro Crag (or playing Slam Dunk, or completing the Tornado Run), but it does mean you\u2019re choosing a path that requires hard work, dedication and commitment. National Committee […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1555,2895],"tags":[486,487,2218,142,484,485],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=645"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8933,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645\/revisions\/8933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}