You’d be surprised what a group of 12 YCP students can accomplish in a new city in four days.
The York College Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) recently traveled to Atlanta, G.A. for the 2015 PRSSA National Conference. PRSSA is a national organization consisting of over 11,000 students interested in public relations and communication.
National Conference is the largest gathering of communication students in the country. Over 1,200 PRSSA members were in attendance, 12 of whom originate from the YCP Chapter. I am proud to call myself our Chapter president.
Our Chapter wasted no time in establishing ourselves as a force to be reckoned. Here are five reasons that YCP PRSSA took Atlanta by storm:
We fell even more in love with our major.
Knowing that you’re in the right major is one of the greatest feelings. Getting to learn from living legendary PR figures was more valuable than any class we could ever enroll in. We got to hear a presentation from Scott Williamson, the vice president of public affairs and communications for Coca-Cola, North America. How many people get to say that?
We enhanced our national reputation.
As Chapter president, I’ve been fortunate enough to build a close relationship with the PRSSA national committee. A highlight of the trip for me was introducing our Chapter to the committee and watching the members make connections of their own. Laura Daronatsy, the national president, was impressed to see the members of our young Chapter so eager to get their names out there.
One of our members also had a service dog, named Creed, with us on the trip. What better way to draw attention than to have a golden retriever with you at all times?
We expanded our network.
“My pad-folio is overflowing with business cards,” said Taylor Gamber, a member of the YCP Chapter.
All 12 of us garnered a few more professional contacts. Now comes the scary part: reaching out to them and getting a job, or at least an internship.
We bonded.
Going to Atlanta was purely for academic purposes, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t time for us to become friends.
James Arrison, another YCP Chapter member, said, “It’s safe to say that all 12 of us are from completely different walks of life, but that didn’t matter down in Atlanta. PRSSA united us.”
While in Georgia, we had a group text so that we could keep track of everyone. It’s been about two weeks since we’ve been home, and the group text is still going strong. It’s titled, “Fam.” Because now, we are a family.
We found adventure.
Once sessions for the day were over, it was time for our Chapter to explore the city. Some of us attended an Atlanta Hawks basketball game with other Chapters. Others explored nearby attractions such as the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the country.
Oh, did I mention that the hotel the Conference took place in, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, is the same hotel in which part of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was filmed?
So of course, we had to explore all 50 floors.
None of us expected to discover hidden roof access. We weren’t sure if we were allowed access, but we weren’t going to miss this opportunity. Being up there was an experience like no other. I couldn’t think of a better way for us to see Atlanta.
Not only did we find adventure and discover new passions, but we made memories. I may carry the title of Chapter president, but I don’t really see it as me leading the Chapter.
I see it as us leading each other. I see it as us leading each other to have new experiences and discover who we really are. We lead each other to find solace in where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going.
And at the end of the day, that’s what membership in PRSSA is all about.