Professional development programs and events

Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications logo

Nackey Loeb School Launches 2024 Pro Series

The Nackey Scripps Loeb School of Communications announces the launch of a new Pro Series—affordable online trainings designed to elevate communication skills, featuring expert instructors and accessible content.

Each course in the Pro Series runs for four weeks and is curated by seasoned communicators who have extensive experience in their respective fields. Drawing from their real-world experience in strategic communication, public relations, marking, and more, instructors provide invaluable insights and practical skills to help students gain skills for professional development. Pro Series trainings require advance registration at loebschool.org/register. Course fees support the nonprofit School’s mission. All classes and events, including seven free Winter 2024 classes, can be found at the School’s website: https://loebschool.org/register

 

Connect with Industry Professionals

 

PRSA offers members a variety of ways to network with industry professionals, both online and in-person.

By Location

If you would like to connect with your local peers than joining your local PRSA Chapter is a must!

PRSA has more than 100 local groups, known as Chapters. PRSA Chapters are based on geography and are located in all 50 states, with some states having multiple Chapters. Click here to find your local Chapter.

What You Will Gain by Joining a Chapter:

  • Become better known in your local public relations community
  • Learn about business and career opportunities
  • Engage in professional development
  • Volunteer leadership opportunities
  • Discounts to events (when applicable)
  • Valuable industry contacts and lifelong friends

By Industry

Not all PR is the same. A PRSA Section membership is for those professionals looking to connect with other public relations and communication peers in their industry.

PRSA has 14 professional interest groups, known as Sections. Each Section focuses on a specific industry that public relations and communication professionals serve, and a few of the Sections are geared towards career level and business owners.

Members of these Sections are able to connect with industry peers who have similar needs and share the same challenges. These groups share important and relevant information about their area of interest through a variety of channels throughout the year.

Click here to learn how to join a PRSA Section.

PRSA’s Professional Interest Sections:

Each Section provides members:

  • Professional development opportunities
  • Networking opportunities online and at select events
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Section newsletter
  • Discounts to Section sponsored events (when applicable)

Online

MyPRSA is our  members-only, secure, private community that empowers our members to create meaningful communication and share resources. It is a great place to connect with more than 21,000 PR and communication professionals, get answers to your most pressing questions and share your own insights and experiences with other members.

With more than 800 discussions the community has quickly become a popular member benefit as it provides members with a new way of engaging with peers all over the country.

What PRSA members using the community for:

  • Share information and resources quickly
  • Collaboration
  • Solve problems
  • Ask questions
  • Get feedback
  • Seeking out recommendations

 

APR Prep Class & Professional Development

The Yankee Chapter is offering a four-session public relations course beginning Wednesday, October 29. It’s designed to prepare students for professional accreditation (APR) but is open to any practitioner interested in increasing their professional skills.

Sessions will be held at Severino Trucking’s Concord Field Office at 9 Hills Ave. in Concord, NH Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m., October 29- November 19.

Sessions will cover:

  • Research, planning, implementing and evaluating public relations programs
  • Ethics and law
  • Communication models and theories
  • Business literacy
  • Management skills and issues
  • Crisis communication management
  • Media relations

View the course syllabus.

Cost for the four-session program is $40. The fee will be waived for those accepted as APR candidates.

For more information contact: Brett St. Clair, APR, 603-224-5566, bstclair@lkarno.com or Bob Lindquist, APR, 508-932-0137, boblind@comcast.net.

registerbutton

Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) Celebrates 50th Anniversary Year

2014 marks a landmark year for the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). The credential, the only nationally recognized certification of the public relations profession, celebrates 50 years in 2014. Currently, more than 5,000 professionals from the agency, corporate, association and education fields hold the APR mark.

Established in 1964, the Accreditation in Public Relations is the profession’s only national postgraduate certification program. It measures a public relations practitioner’s fundamental knowledge of communications theory and its application; establishes advanced capabilities in research, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation; and demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence and ethical conduct. The skills acquired through the process are applicable to any industry or practice area. Granting of the APR is overseen by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB).

Unlike other professional certifications, such as CPA, Accreditation in Public Relations is a voluntary demonstration of competency; as such, it reflects a strong commitment to the profession. Earning Accreditation also provides a distinction that can set individuals apart and open doors to career advancement and higher compensation. Through their high professional and ethical standards, Accredited professionals contribute to greater understanding of public relations as a vital management function, and undermine those who would refer to our craft as spin, our professionals as flacks, and our currency as misrepresentation and disinformation.

Universal Accreditation Board (UAB)

The UAB oversees the APR program and provides a balanced blend of backgrounds in a number of public relations specialties, with representatives from each public relations participating organization. The UAB grants Accreditation, develops the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations and policies, and reviews appeal cases. The public relations organizations that are members of the Universal Accreditation Board include the Agricultural Relations Council, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public Relations Society of America, Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation, and Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Public Relations Association).

NE District Conference Sept 18 & 19 in Rochester, NY

Rochester is proud to be the host city for this year’s Northeast District Conference on Sept. 18 and 19  with our theme, “Blurring the Lines: The New PR Invasion of Marketing, Media and Mindshare.” This two-day  event  at RIT and the RIT Inn & Conference Center will be packed full of PR and communications experts sharing their knowledge on the latest and greatest tools, techniques, trends and industry knowledge. Mark your calendars for this event; stay tuned for more information!

Check here for more information.

Early bird registration is July 25. Don’t delay, register now.

2013 International Conference – Philadelphia – Oct 26-29

One effective strategy can cut through the clutter. One resonant message can inspire change. To amplify your impact in this market, you need three things — Connection, Community and Collaboration. 

At the PRSA 2013 International Conference, join thousands of colleagues and over 150 industry experts for four days of practical insight and networking from all career levels, sectors, work environments and industries. International Conference is dedicated to helping public relations practitioners respond to “real-time” opportunities and challenges, while also addressing trends and new technologies.


Social media visionary Brian Solis will deliver this year’s keynote address, “What’s the Future of Business?” Solis is currently a principal analyst at Altimeter Group. In addition to contributing to Fast Company, Businessweek, AdAge, Harvard Business Review and Mashable, Solis is also the author of many books, including “The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution.”

Also, check out keynote presentations from Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour, America’s first African-American female combat pilot, and John J. Wood, founder and board co-chair of Room to Read.

Discover strategies that will boost your bottom line, along with best practices and real-world advice that you can put to use immediately ― with measureable results.

registerbutton

Northeast District Conference

PRSA Northeast District Conference 2013

Date: Thursday, November 7, 2013
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel & Conference Center (701 East. Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE

Feed Your Passion!

The Central New York Chapter of PRSA is excited to be hosting the Northeast District Conference in 2013! We have a great line-up of speakers from across our District, and a very diverse range of topics that will be covered.

Our keynote speakers include Sara Wallace from Destiny USA and Evelyn Carter from Wegmans, with a special introduction from Eric Mower from Eric Mower + Associates.


FULL CONFERENCE AGENDA

Call the Crowne Plaza reservations line at 1-888-227-6963 and refer to block code “PRA” (yes, that’s “PRA” not PRSA) or “2013 Northeast District PRSA Conference,” or book online through this link:
http://www.crowneplaza.com/redirect?path=hd&brandCode=cp&localeCode=en&regionCode=1&hotelCode=SYRCP&_PMID=99801505&GPC=PRA&blpu=true

 

And be sure to see all that Syracuse has to offer by visiting us the night before the conference!

Featured destination: Destiny USA (2013 PRSA Northeast District Conference Keynote Speaker)

PRSA is offering exclusive packages to Northeast District Conference attendees to enjoy the full experience at this regional shopping, dining and entertainment travel destination. When you register for the Conference, you’ll also be able to sign-up for the following entertainment options all within Destiny USA’s stunning three-story glass atrium provides perfect weather year round:

  • Get 15% off your dining experience at The Melting Pot
  • Blow off some steam while racing electric go karts at 45 mph at Pole Position Raceway for only $18 – That’s a 35% discount!
  • Enter the upside-down building that appears to have dropped from the sky and explore 100+ exhibits at WonderWorks for only $20.99, and take on the world’s largest indoor ropes challenge course, suspended 70 feet in the air, at the Canyon Climb Ropes Course for an additional $10!
  • Get lost in the Amazing Mirror Maze for the discounted rate of $6.95
  • Kick back, grab a drink and enjoy the music at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Just make sure you head back to the hotel in time to get a good night’s sleep before the Conference…

Sign up through your Conference registration, and you’ll receive an email in October with more details on your selected activities.

Looking for more information on what Syracuse has to offer?

Check out http://www.visitsyracuse.org/prsa to see all that we the city has to offer, and how the Syracuse Convention & Visitors’ Bureau can help with your planning and reservations!

Our Best Membership Deal Yet

Join PRSA through Sunday, Sept. 15, and receive a FREE local chapter of PR colleagues, FREE national community dedicated to your industry focus, and waived $65 initiation fee, with code ConnectQ3!

National Membership Options Are Based on Your Experience in the Profession

Join a vibrant community of public relations professionals. Our members represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.

Do you have two or more years’ experience in public relations? 

Join as a full Member ($255 annual dues plus a one-time $65 initiation fee).

Receive a FREE local chapter of PR colleagues, FREE Professional Interest Section community of sector-specific colleagues, and waived $65 initiation fee, with code ConnectQ3 through Sept. 15 with PRSA’s Triple Play Promotion. Offer n/a for current or Associate members. Have more questions about the Triple Play Promotion? Click here.
Do you have one to two years’ experience in public relations? Join as an Associate Member ($155 annual dues). Receive a FREE New Professionals Section membership with promo code AM13. Offer n/a for current members.

Do you have less than one years’ experience in public relations? Join as an Associate Member ($115 annual dues). Receive a FREE New Professionals Section membership with promo code AM13. Offer n/a for current members.

Were you a PRSSA member? And did you graduate within the past two years? Join as an Associate Member, PRSSA Graduate ($60 annual dues). Receive a FREE New Professionals Section membership with promo code AM13. Offer n/a for current members.

Are you a full-time graduate student working toward a public relations degree? Join as an Associate Member, Graduate Student ($60 annual dues). Receive a FREE New Professionals Section membership with promo code AM13. Offer n/a for current members.

Are you a former member of PRSA?  Join as a Reinstating Member ($255 annual dues plus a one-time $35 reinstatement fee).

Are you part of an organization that has eight or more individuals interested in joining?

A group membership offers special benefits and discounted rates on first year dues. Contact Group Membership for more information.

Are you retired?
Members who have been in good standing for at least five years may qualify for retirement status. You must be employed less than 50 percent of the time. Contact Membership for more information. Certain restrictions may apply. $50 annual dues.

 

Questions? Send an email to Member Services or call (212) 460-1400.

2013 James Bradley Scholarship — Apply Now

Eligible Students Encouraged to Apply by April 29, 2013.

Named in honor of the Yankee Chapter’s “founding father” James (Jim) H. Bradley who passed away in 2010, the 2013 James H. Bradley Memorial Scholarship will be presented to a student with a declared major in a public relations-related field who is studying at an accredited college or university in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.

The $500 scholarship will recognize the student’s academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and commitment to public relations.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION (Microsoft Word document)

Applications should be submitted by April 29, 2013 to:

James H. Bradley Memorial Scholarship Committee
The Yankee Chapter PRSA
53 Regional Dr., Suite 1
Concord, NH 03301

Entries will be judged by a committee of public relations professionals. Winners will be announced in May 2013.

For questions or comments, please contact Donna Eason at djeason@comcast.net.

September is Ethics Month

Public relations professionals are regularly faced with unique and challenging ethical issues on the job. Our advice: “Act Ethically and Carry On — the theme of this year’s PRSA Ethics Month. Throughout September, we have a number of ethics-focused activities planned to help you brush up on your ethics knowledge:

For more information on PRSA Ethics Month, click here.