With a background in journalism, advertising, event planning, teaching, communications and integrative public relations, Diane Krider’s journey to CMU has been full of wonderful experiences that have taught her what defines a hard-working and dedicated educator. The roles she has taken as both a professor and mentor here on campus have inspired many students, and the guidance she has provided in our PRSSA and PR Central programs has helped build their triumph over the last 15 years.
Before ending up here in Mt. Pleasant, Dr. Krider earned her education at Southern Illinois University (both Carbondale and Edwardsville), as well as at Eastern Illinois University. While her original plan entering college was to work for a degree in the journalism field, it became evident that her interests went further than simply that. She soon became a communications master, and later earned her PhD formally studying public relations. “I love using both sides of my brain. I’m someone who enjoys both analytical and creative thinking” shared Krider.
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) here on Central’s campus began in the ‘70s, and was fortunate enough to recruit Diane Krider from Southern Illinois’ PR agency around 1998. Upon taking up the chapter here, professor Krider had only five active group members. As time went on and the public relations field grew in popularity, so did PRSSA. Moving forward with Dr. Krider’s leadership, the organization began earning a series of awards, entering national competitions, and getting first-hand experience with PR work. Once she earned her APR (accredited in public relations), Krider was asked by the PR programs she had so diligently been administrating if they could dedicate their chapters to her. She graciously accepted, and ever since the organizations have been under her name.
Although Dr. Krider’s intention coming to Central Michigan University was not to design these public relations groups, she is happy knowing that she was a part of building them and being with the PRSSA since its inception. “Seeing the program develop and knowing how well it’s been received is what I find most wonderful about it. When the chapter decided to name themselves after me it was just an incredible bonus,” explained Dr. Krider.
Eric Buschlen, currently the chair of the leadership counsel here at CMU, has been one of Diane’s biggest inspirations. They met in 1994 when Eric was an undergraduate in a search committee and she was interviewing for a job at a different university. Dr. Krider has always seen him as a great ambassador and someone who knows how to represent students very well. One thing she admires the most is that he is an advocate for interdisciplinary learning like her, and the two of them now work closely on campus.
This passionate and proactive Central Michigan professor has no regrets in all she’s done throughout the years with her work and education. Although her involvement in PRSSA is not what it used to be, she is still in-tune with their achievements and honored to have been a part of its progression. Her advice to students is this: “Find out what you’re good at and where your passion is and get someone to pay you to do it. That is what this IPR program is to me. Someone is paying me to do something I love and it doesn’t feel like work.”