From Shadow to Friend

By Rebecca Villarreal

Every year on the second Wednesday of February, high school seniors from across the nation participate in National Signing Day to sign with the college of their choice as an athlete. I am fortunate enough to have a job where I get to be these young student-athletes’ press agent for a day as a school public relations professional.

This year’s Shadow Days, sponsored by our PRSA chapter, were being held during this time. So I seized the opportunity to have a student “shadow” me on this particular day.

To my surprise, I was paired with a student who wants to go into public relations in the sports and entertainment industry. She was thrilled to see the humble beginnings of these young athletes and the “buzz” their early success created.  MORE

Digital Publications and the News Cycle

The Texas Tribune, which launched in late 2009, is an online newspaper based in Austin, Texas which accepts no advertising and is supported completely by private funding and gifts. Tribune CEO and Editor-In-Chief Evan Smith left Texas Monthly to start the digital newspaper. Join us as Smith talks about the role digital publications like The Texas Tribune will play in the news cycle and how he sees the future and evolution of his industry.  For more information, please visit LINK.

Members Note: Early bird price ends the Friday before the luncheon. Due to the luncheon planning cycle, we cannot accept walk-ins on event day. Don’t miss the cut-off; register today!

March Teleseminar

Join us Tuesday, March 23 to learn how to successfully manage a social media campaign by pairing your insight and strategy with the skills and enthusiasm of the technically savvy junior pros on your staff.  With the exploding growth of social media the need to apply strategic thinking to your public relations and communications campaign has never been more critical.  Join Kami Watson Huyse, APR, and learn how to join forces to create ultimate social media success.

For more information, including location, please visit the invitation!

Members attend for free and non-members attend for the reduced price of $20.  Please arrive between 1:30-1:45 p.m.  As a service to our members and the communications community, PRSA hosts all teleseminars at a greatly reduced (complimentary for members) cost. Don’t forget, space is limited so register today.

If you’re interested in becoming more involved with the chapter and want to further develop your skills utilizing PRSA, a few positions have opened on the Board.  You must be an active PRSA member to serve on the Board.  We’re looking for people interested in filling the following positions:

            Ethics Chair (Anyone interested in filling this spot must have an APR certification.)

PRSSA liaison (Serve as liaison between the chapter board and the leadership of our student chapters at UTSA and UT-Pan Am, travel not required)

Sponsorship Chair (Helps garner corporate support for the October Professional Development workshop)

Please contact Clarissa Rodriguez at (210) 476-4490 or crodriguez@ssfcu.org.

February Luncheon Review

By Margaret Ginter

PRSSA President

Attending the February luncheon proved a revelation. It was a learning experience that gave me a sense of excitement about my future career. As a student, I am always looking for new ways to get ahead in my major. I have worked hard as a student and PRSSA member to make sure that I get the most out of my education and organization.  Marlene Neill introduced me to the fact that accreditation can get you ahead of the game. Until the presentation, I had no idea what APR was and what it could do for me in my near future. She gave me important advice about furthering my education as well as maintaining professionalism in the field. I will certainly keep an eye out for the Tier One exam for college graduates.  Thank you for letting us join you during this PRSA luncheon, and for giving me something that I can use for my future.

The 2010 competition’s call for entries and entry packets are only available online this year.  And, they’re due in just under three weeks! Visit www.prsanantonio.com to learn more. Entry fees are $55 for members and $65 for nonmembers.

La Plata (Silver) Award Categories include the following campaigns:

·         Community Relations

·         Special Events and Observances

·         Crisis Communications

·         Internal Communications

·         Multicultural Communications

·         Social Media Campaigns

El Bronce (Bronze) Award Categories include the following tactics:

·         Newsletters

·         Magazines

·         Annual Reports

·         Brochures

·         Special Purpose Publications

·         Media Kits

·         Feature Stories

·         Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

·         B-roll

·         Web Sites

·         Social Media

·         Other Interactive Communications

·         Creative Tactics

Del Oro (Gold) Individual Awards are presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the PR profession. Candidates can be nominated in four categories: Lifetime Achievement, Professional of the Year, Community Service and Horizon (rising star). No entry fee required.

Register now for the next Senior Practitioners Breakfast!The next quarterly breakfast will be Wednesday, February 24 at 7:30 a.m. at Mama's Cafe. The topic is: Name an Instance when you were most proud to be in Public Relations.

Senior practitioners must be members of the San Antonio PRSA chapter and have a minimum of 15 years experience in public relations or be apast chapter president. There is no cost to attend, but don’t forget to register! 

Business Case for Public Relations is Your Membership Dollars at Work

By Fran Stephenson

            Around the time of the International Conference, PRSA National launched an internal advocacy campaign, called the Business Case for Public Relations.  And just in time, too.  As technology expands the scope of our profession and the continued reputation of organizations continues to erode, now more than ever -- AS A PROFESSION—we need to demonstrate that we create value and care about the ethics which guide our actions.

But this is more just a bunch of words and an action plan. Already, the dedicated section on the PRSA Web site [http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/BusinessCase/] is filled with resources to assist professionals in addressing value, measurement and excellence in the field. 

Before you do any other reading in our field, go there and check out your new resources.  An entire section on value includes readings about the same.  Case studies are organized by subject matter and focus.  The resources are incredibly rich and this is just the beginning.  MORE...

APR and Why?

Three letters with a big impact

Many PR students and professionals are unaware of an important credential in their field—the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential.  These three little letters behind a PR professional’s name can make a big difference over the lifetime of an individual’s career. As more and more industries are beginning to focus on accreditations, certifications and advanced degrees, it’s becoming more common to see job postings require additional education and training. Most people, including many employers, are familiar with common professional credentials, such as CPA, MBA, Ph.D., and M.D.  Marlene Neill, APR, will discuss this growing trend of accreditation across several industries and how the APR designation is important to your career.  Neill is a member of the Universal Accreditation Board that oversees the public relations Accreditation exam. At the luncheon, she will also discuss the steps involved in becoming Accredited in public relations, benefits and resources available for accreditation candidates, including financial assistance. Don’t miss the chance to take the next step in your professional career.