On campus, there are Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) for almost anything imaginable. Among these crazy RSOs are Party Rock Illinois, Perfect Prom Project and the Chief Investigating Group.
Up until four years ago, there was no RSO for students interested in Public Relations. Then, the Public Relations Association (PRA) was founded.
On December 4, 2012, PRA changed their name to the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
PRSSA is a national organization. Being a nationally recognized organization means that the RSO is more legitimate, and it receives more resources. This also means that the chapter at Illinois can talk to other chapters from across the nation to discover fresh ideas.
Current president of the Illinois Chapter of PRSSA, Katie Bates, is very excited to talk about PRSSA to anyone who asks. She was very involved in PRA’s transition to the national organization of PRSSA.
Katie Bates is a senior in Advertising, with a Communication minor. She also has a Public Relations certificate. The PR certificate is what the U of I offers students interested in PR instead of a specific PR major. Bates hopes that PRSSA will take the Illinois PR program to the next level.
She really stresses that before PRSSA, there was no other PR RSO on campus. The University of Illinois does not offer a Public Relations major; those wishing to get experience seem to be out of luck.
“I want to give students interested in PR an outlet to learn about it and get experience,” said Bates.
Bates said after the name change, there was not a big shift in how the PR RSO is run and what it hopes to accomplish. The change only reorganized the structure of the organization. Bates has focused on easing into the changes.
Speakers come to PRSSA meetings to talk about things like forming a résumé. Occasionally PRSSA has alumnae come to speak, and give advice.
All PRSSA monthly meetings are free and open for anyone who wants to go, or is interested in learning more. As Bates says, PRSSA is open to anyone who is interested in taking the next step in PR.
Currently PRSSA is doing PR for the Roger Ebert film festival that is coming up this April. Roger Ebert himself took a look at what PRSSA came up with and gave his approval.
PRSSA will be going on an agency trip on February 22, 2013. This trip will give members valuable experience talking to potential employers.
“I want students to feel like they’re getting something worthwhile out of the experience,” said Bates.