Dirk Gibson, associate professor of communication and journalism, is looking to resurrect a chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, a program the University did away with more than three years ago, he said.
The PRSSA allows students to work with public relations organizations to hone their skills and network with professionals.
“You get to meet people who you look to get jobs with,” Gibson said. “They love students, and they especially love Lobos.”
Before the UNM chapter disbanded, the University saw a fair amount of success with the PRSSA. Two Lobos went on to become vice presidents of the national program, and the team even won a case-study competition at the Southwest Regional Championships during the 2005 academic year, he said.
Students involved in the program also get the chance to work with the Public Relations Society of America, the professional organization that the PRSSA is modeled after, which gives students important experience, he said.
“Even in the best programs, you can’t cover everything in the classroom,” Gibson said. “Students will have a co-curricular program to enrich their experiences.”
Erica Krause, the new professionals committee chair for the New Mexico PRSA and a copywriter at Presbyterian Health Plan, was president of the UNM chapter of the PRSSA for the 2010 academic year. She said the program gave her a lot of real-world experience in the field of public relations, and even sparked an interest in the world of public relations in the medical field, such as the American Heart Association and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“I got a lot of experience and I made a lot of connections to people in the PR world,” said Krause. “Being able to work with real clients really helped me after graduation”.
The program is a great way to learn about the PR profession without going through the trouble of trying to get an internship or job, she said.
The program will be open to anyone who is interested in public relations, and an initial fee of $50 will be collected upon joining. Both Gibson and Krause said they hope to have the first official meeting by the last week of September, and that the program is looking to be up and running by the Spring 2015 semester.
Dianne Anderson, UNM spokeswoman, is a member of the PRSA and said the organization will be an invaluable resource to aspiring public relations students.
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“I think it’s excellent,” Anderson said. “It’s a great way to keep up with standards of excellence in the industry.”
Students interested in the UNM chapter of the PRSSA can contact Gibson at agibson878@msn.com or Krause at ebkrause@gmail.com for more information.
Ryan Lotz is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @dailylobo.
