PRSSA Committee Breakdown: Which Committee Should You Apply For?
By: Sara Lawrence
PRSSA’s committee applications are now open until Friday, Sept. 23! There are seven different committees that each help PRSSA in a specific area. Our committees include social media, member relations, outreach, content, diversity, equity and inclusion, public relations and event planning. Working on a committee is an excellent way to improve your skills and form lasting relationships in PRSSA. To help decide which committee is best for you, our committee heads explained what each of their committees entails:
Social Media Committee Head: Deborah Yoon
Deborah Yoon: Social Media
What does the committee do?: The social media committee makes graphics, captures content during meetings and keeps up with PRSSA’s social media including TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
What skills does it enhance? This committee can really help advance skills in making graphics and working with a “brand.” PRSSA has certain fonts, colors and an established pre-professional presence that we utilize in all of the content that we create.
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: “I love this committee because it is exciting to make content that can be seen by everyone! We create deliverables that have a direct effect on how people outside and inside the club see PRSSA. I’m super excited to lead the committee along with Morgan Jones, this year’s Director of Social Media, who was my committee head last year. As an advertising major myself, we are open to any major as long as you are just as excited as we are. Our committee is also a great way to meet and connect with peers that have similar interests and career goals.”
Member Relations Committee Head: Kathryn Penn
Kathryn Penn: Member Relations
What does the committee do?: The member relations committee is dedicated to making PRSSA an engaging and enriching experience for our members. They aim to create a welcoming environment to allow for personal and professional networking. Their tasks include organizing bonding activities and highlighting member accomplishments on social media.
What skills does it enhance?: Member relations committee members can expect to grow their creative and communication skills by brainstorming ideas and sharing them with the chapter. They can also look forward to making relationships in PRSSA themselves!
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: Kathryn is looking forward to not only improving member relations among others in the chapter, but also fostering her own relationships. “I am excited to lead this committee because I love getting to know new people and this committee is the perfect way to bring the chapter closer.”
Outreach Committee Head: Jin Lee
Jin Lee: Outreach
What does the committee do?: The outreach committee oversees fundraising and networking through facilitating the mentorship program, organizing percentage nights and finding ways to give back to the community. For example, the outreach committee is in charge of planning and executing the Ding Tea percentage night this Tuesday, Sept. 20. If you mention PRSSA at checkout, a portion of your sales goes towards funding our chapter!
What skills does it enhance?: Committee members gain skills in communication, teamwork and leadership. They will also get experience practicing real-world PR skills by advertising PRSSA to students around our school.
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: Jin is looking forward to networking with her peers in PRSSA even outside of the biweekly meetings. “I am excited to meet and collaborate with other PRSSA members!”
Content Committee Head: Mia Bonfiglio
Mia Bonfiglio: Content
What does the committee do?: The content committee is centered around curating pieces for our online blog and website. These are often pieces about different types of PR, opportunities to get involved on campus and highlighting those involved in the major and Grady as a whole. Committee members get the opportunity to choose what they want to write about and even pitch content ideas of their own!
What skills does it enhance?: This committee will greatly strengthen your writing and AP style skills, along with giving you concrete work to add to your portfolio. Having strong writing skills is one of the most important assets for a PR student and future professional to have, and the content committee is a perfect way to enhance this skillset!
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: “I am so excited to lead this committee because of my own experience as a member working on it last year. I was able to meet a great group of like-minded students and advance my PR skills with real-life experience!”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Head: Eli Banzon
Eli Banzon: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
What does the committee do?: The DEI committee works to promote diversity and inclusion. This team ensures that PRSSA is conscious of current events affecting the PR and communication fields and creates a welcoming environment for everyone. They do this by researching various DEI-related events, internship opportunities and student organizations. Members then advertise these events in the DEI section of the PRSSA weekly newsletter. This makes important DEI resources more accessible to the PRSSA student body. The committee is also responsible for planning, organizing and facilitating a DEI-centered general body meeting in the Spring.
What skills does it enhance?: This committee will help students gain general skills in leadership, communication and planning, as well as increase their social awareness in today’s world and help them strive for inclusion in their day-to-day lives.
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: “This is only the second year the DEI committee has been active. A solid foundation was set in its first year, but there is still a lot of work to be done. As one of the first members of the committee, I feel called to continue what we started last year. I’m excited to leave a positive impact on PRSSA by working with the DEI committee members to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all.”
Public Relations Committee Head: Emma Brumsey
Emma Brumsey: Public Relations
What does the committee do?: The public relations committee basically handles all things public relations. They create graphics and flyers to distribute around campus which provides PRSSA with publicity that facilitates interest among the student body. They also work very closely with the social media committee to ensure a unified presentation of our organization.
What skills does it enhance?: This committee is the perfect opportunity for members to foster skills in publicity, creating graphics and to learn general PR strategies and skills.
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: “I’m looking forward to leading this committee because it gives me a chance to not only improve my graphic design skills, but also my leadership skills. I’m also excited to get to know more of exec and meet my future committee members!”
Event Planning Committee Head: Ansley Baker
Ansley Baker: Event Planning
What does the committee do?: The event planning committee helps enrich the PRSSA experience by deciding what food we have at meetings, putting together the winter social and planning the senior banquet.
What skills does it enhance?: Members will gain many hard business skills as they navigate Excel/Google Sheets and maintain a budget, as well as many general skills, such as organization and communication strategies.
Why are you excited to serve as this committee head?: “I loved being able to get involved in PRSSA more through working on the event planning committee last year, so I decided to serve as the committee head this year. This committee makes getting involved so fun and worthwhile! I can’t wait to get started!”
Our committee heads are already hard at work preparing for the semester and their future committee members! As you can see, there is a committee for everyone, no matter where your interests lie. Make sure to apply to be a committee member by Sept. 23 to get more involved in PRSSA and enhance your skills in any area you choose! Also, don’t forget to join us for our Recent Grady Grads meeting this Tuesday, Sept.20!
