Letter to the Editor: Why You Should Join PRSSA

The Public Relations Student Society of America is a professional organization for students who want to gain insights on the world of public relationship and the world of mass communication. 

Students who are interested in or are pursuing degrees in public relations, communication, journalism, marketing or any relations field should think about joining PRSSA to further their professional careers. PRSSA provides members with opportunities to gain real-world experience, networking with students and professionals and stay updated on what is going on in the communication field. It can also help you grow as a person and in your career. 

First off, internships and scholarships can arise from being in PRSSA. There are PRSSA specific scholarships that only students who are involved in the program can earn. There is also an annual conference for PRSSA students where they can meet with industry professionals to network. This can help put a foot in the door to a potential internship. 

Joining will also help you see what the real world is like before graduation. There are various resources available in PRSSA that help students develop real-world skills and a look into what jobs entail. It is the student affiliate with Public Relations of America (PRSA) which is the largest public relations organization in the world.

Joining will also help you see the importance of ethical standards. Students are encouraged to uphold high ethical values and to consider the social impact of their work.  This will give you a one-up on most students no matter what the field you hope to be going into in the future. 

If you are a student looking to gain more experience before graduation we highly recommend joining PRSSA. No matter what field you choose to pursue in the future this will be a great start. Joining will help you network, get opportunities like scholarships, internships and jobs. It will also allow you to work and meet with media professionals as they will help you get insight on the job while learning ethical standards. 

If you do join,  there are specific things you can expect within the group. The first is having fun. PRSSA often has food at meetings and an overall good time where you can make new friends. The group also takes frequent trips to the Minneapolis/St.Paul metro to explore public relations and other professional firms. We also play games, go over tips for resumes and cover letters and just learn more about the industry in general.

For more information, you can check out MSU’s PRSSA club on instagram @mnsuprssa or you could contact farah.azhar@mnsu.edu and prssa@mnsu.edu  for more questions.