PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) is a household name among PR professionals. The professional organization is known for its annual conferences, awards including the Silver and Bronze Anvil and national job network.

Undergraduate (and graduate) students can join PRSA’s collegiate affiliate organization, PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) to learn about different career paths and network with communication practitioners to help launch their careers before graduation. 

PRSSA at NC State

Clairemont intern and president of PRSSA at NC State, Anna Beth McCormick, says that PRSSA’s mission is to amplify members’ knowledge about the profession of public relations. PRSSA helps members answer big questions like what is public relations? How can I succeed in PR? And what kinds of jobs are available once I graduate? 

The PRSSA chapter at NC State holds professional development meetings that focus on topics such as personal branding, resume building, LinkedIn and social media workshops. Members also hear from guest speakers in the Raleigh PRSSA network, attend Q&A panels, department events and so much more! 

In 2020, PRSSA at NC State successfully held its largest annual networking event, PR Day, virtually for the first time. One of the benefits of having PR Day on Zoom was that speakers from all over the country could attend. Dwayna Haley, “The PR Girl” (Atlanta, GA), was the 2020 keynote speaker in addition to numerous professionals from the Raleigh PRSA network and beyond.

Last year, PRSSA also hosted virtual agency tours and met with representatives from French West Vaughan, Ketchum and APCO Worldwide. Additionally, PRSSA and the NC State College of Humanities and Social Sciences co-hosted an event with alumna guest speaker Adonna Biel, former deputy national secretary for Biden for President, about her experiences in government public relations. 

PRSSA prepares students for a future in PR

Other benefits of PRSSA membership include exclusive access to (paid!) internship listings, scholarships, awards and leadership opportunities. 

Joining PRSSA gives students partial membership into PRSA so that after graduation, they can get a discounted membership to PRSA. 

Interested in being a guest speaker, have an internship opportunity to share or, want to join PRSSA at NC State? Get connected with them at ncsuprssa6@gmail.com.