The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a national organization made up of more than 11,000 students and advisers organized into 300 plus chapters in the United States, Argentina, Colombia and Peru. Led by its parent organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSSA seeks to advance the public relations profession while providing the resources needed to excel within the industry to future professionals across the globe. Our Campus Celebrity this week proudly leads the Penn State chapter of this organization.
Name: Chrissy Tansey
Year: Senior
Major: Public relations
Hometown: Flemington, NJ
HC: How would you describe PRSSA to those who have never heard of the organization before?
CT: PRSSA is an organization of aspiring PR professionals that are seeking to enhance their education, broaden their network and launch their career in the public relations world.
HC: How did you first get involved in PRSSA, and what inspired you to become president this year?
CT: I first became involved in PRSSA my sophomore year at Penn State. I had only taken one course in PR, but it was only an introduction class. Although I enjoyed the class, I did not gain any real world experience with PR. I decided to join PRSSA to learn more about public relations as well as network with individuals who had similar career aspirations. As a sophomore, I was very inspired by the executive board, as each of these individuals had held multiple internships and had great advice to share. I wanted to follow in their footsteps and guide students through their PR experiences, which ultimately made me want to be president.
HC: What is one goal you have for the Penn State chapter this year?
CT: One goal I have for PRSSA this year is to strengthen our chapter’s relationship with other chapters. I think this could be very beneficial when it comes to networking and job searching. Our executive board is attending PRSSA National Conference this year in Atlanta, Ga., which will be a great opportunity to start relationships with other chapters.
HC: What upcoming event are you looking most forward to?
CT: I am really looking forward to our November general meeting with guest speaker Kristin DeRosa. She handles crisis communications at Burson-Marstellar, a renowned public relations and communications firm in NYC. It will be interesting to hear from someone in the industry who handles such crucial work. She was also a previous president of PRSSA at Penn State.
HC: What are some of the benefits to becoming a member of PRSSA?
CT: PRSSA has countless benefits, including networking opportunities, speaker sessions with professionals from a variety of different industries, workshops, event planning experience, and more.
HC: What would you say to those interested in joining?
CT: If you are interested in pursuing a career in communications, JOIN! It does not matter if you are a public relations or journalism or advertising major; PRSSA will help you gain beneficial experience essential to developing yourself professionally. It is also great to be a part of a nationally recognized organization.
If you’d like to learn more about Penn State PRSSA and how you can become a member, please visit their website.