Two students—Ashley Schumacher, Co-President of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) & Shadow PR Firm, and Mya Sexton, Digital Content Creator of PRSSA—recently represented Monmouth’s PRSSA Chapter at the National PRSSA ICON Conference in Anaheim, California, on Oct. 13-17.
According to the PRSSA website, the event is intended to bring students from different chapters together and create networking opportunities with PRSSA alumni and top industry executives.
Schumacher elaborated, “ICON is an annual PRSSA conference that includes students and PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) alumni, featuring speakers from PR, social media, marketing, and top executives. [We] learn how to stand out in careers, improve personal branding, and bring back ideas to strengthen our chapter.”
The national conference aims to better prepare students for the industry once they graduate. Milagros Orcoyen, President of National PRSSA, said, “PRSSA ICON focused on ‘The Future of PR,’ with our primary goal being to provide attendees with valuable learning opportunities that would keep them informed about the latest industry trends and prepare them for what’s next. We also aimed to facilitate networking among peers and professionals from around the globe, recognizing the importance of these connections.”
The agenda included speaker sessions and networking sessions. Orocyen explained that students were additionally able to learn from professionals who attended such as Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, and Suzi Brown, Vice President of Communications at Disneyland Resort. “Additionally,” Orocyen continued, “they connected with other PRSSA students and professionals during events such as our Welcome Reception (themed ‘ICON-Chella!’), the Champions for PRSSA Breakfast, the DEI Reception, and more.”
One session speaker Schumacher found valuable was Nicole Dye-Anderson, Senior Vice President and Head of Media Relations at Wells Fargo. “[Dye-Anderson] really took the time to explain how to build meaningful relationships with A-list contacts by treating them as people, not just professional connections,” Schumacher said.
PRSA, specifically an ICON Conference Committee that is selected, chooses the conference’s location. Alicia Caracciolo, Vice President of Events and Fundraising National PRSSA, said, “This year’s team was made up of students from the California State University at Fullerton Chapter. The Conference Committee spearheads choosing speakers, promoting the event, and fundraising for the event, all while working closely with PRSSA Headquarters.”
Oakley Weddle, previous National PRSSA Vice President of Chapter Development, added, “This year’s conference, set against the backdrop of California, embraced the state’s laid-back yet driven energy, which resonated with attendees… [It] captured the essence of California’s spirit, and I know that the conference committee next year for Washington, D.C., will be equally successful.”
Monmouth’s chapter of PRSSA and their Shadow PR Firm take pride in being active on campus and nationally. Schumacher said, “PRSSA & Shadow PR Firm is a nationally affiliated, student-run public relations firm at Monmouth University that partners with local clients to meet their needs in PR, social media management, fundraising, etc. This year, we’re working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern NJ, Asbury Park Tennis Initiative, and Redeem Her.”
Mary Harris, A.P.R., Specialist Professor of Public Relations, Journalism/PR Program Director, and Faculty Co-Advisor for PRSSA, explained how Monmouth PRSSA funds sending members to the conference. She explained, “Based on the annual budget PRSSA receives, we are usually able to send two or three students to the national conference. As the leaders of the executive board, the co-presidents of PRSSA are usually given the opportunity first. If a co-president cannot attend, then another executive board member is invited based on interest and availability, and this person is selected in a random drawing in order to be fair.”
Both Schumacher and Sexton believe that sending representatives to the annual conference is important and beneficial for Monmouth’s PRSSA chapter, specifically by allowing members to connect with like-minded individuals. Sexton said, “Being able to make connections with speakers who can then give their expertise and advice to our club is super beneficial. We spoke to Lauren Berger, CEO of Intern-Queen… which is great since she can be very helpful to the general members of the club.” Sexton additionally thought that it was important to meet with national leaders to help support the club financially and get the chapter name out there more since it is a smaller chapter. She argued that this recognition would benefit Monmouth’s chapter in the long run.
Schumacher added that attending the conference also allows the executive board to bring back new information and share it with the other members who couldn’t participate.
Orcoyen looked to the future of National PRSSA and said, “ I see us evolving alongside the ever-changing dynamics of our industry. Our top priority will always be our students, and we will continue to adapt to ensure we’re meeting their needs and preferences.”
