DEI Committee Spotlight
By: Raynor Manley
UGA PRSSA created and executed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee at the beginning of this school year. The DEI committee works to make PRSSA a more inclusive environment. They highlight historic minority PR professionals and Grady alumni and gather resources regarding DEI related events at UGA. The DEI committee is currently led by Kathryn Penn and consists of three other members, Eli Banzon, Jin Lee and Jasmine Robinson. They all work on the newsletter, research for social media initiatives and plan the DEI meeting, alongside Kathryn.
In their first year as a committee, they have added a DEI section to PRSSA’s weekly newsletter. It includes a scholarship, internship and event opportunities related to DEI. They also partnered with the social media committee to create an Instagram story series for Black History Month. Right now we are planning the DEI meeting coming up on March 22. We will hear from a UGA PhD candidate conducting research about DEI in communications, a practitioner from Panama, the director of the ADPR program at the University of Texas, Austin and a professional at Randstad.
Kathryn Penn currently serves as the Committee Head for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at PRSSA. She is currently a sophomore at UGA and is a public relations and film studies double major. Fun fact: She was in a musical earlier this semester! She saw a flyer in MLC last November and wanted to try something new, so she auditioned! She said, “It was a really rewarding experience and pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
Jasmine Robinson serves on the DEI committee. She is currently a third-year and is an entertainment & media studies major. She is also working towards a minor in communication. Fun fact: She said, “One of my favorite things to do is bring awareness about my disability – Muscular Dystrophy – via TikTok videos.”
Jin Lee serves on the DEI committee. Jin is currently a sophomore and majoring in public relations. She is minoring in dance and is working towards a certificate in nonprofit management. Fun fact: She has lived in Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Eli Banzon serves on the DEI committee. He is currently a second-year and is double majoring in public relations and political science. He is also minoring in international affairs. Fun fact: Eli has been to six different continents!
Please mark your calendars for next Tuesday, March 22nd for our very own DEI Committee’s meeting! This will be such an informative meeting and you won’t want to miss it. We will be back in Studio 100 and will have a virtual option that will be released closer to the meeting.
Executive board applications for the 2022-2023 year are now available. Apply here. Position descriptions can be found on our website and linked in our Instagram bio. Please contact any current E-board member with questions or our faculty advisor, Kim Landrum!
