PRSSA Backgrounder Sheet

Backgrounder

The University of Oklahoma Public Relations Student Society of America offers experienced speakers, networking contacts, learning opportunities and motivated peers.

History: PRSSA owes its existence to the influence if three advocates Chris Teahan, Jon Riffel and J. Carroll Bateman. They reached their triumph in a November 1976 PRSA assembly in Philadelphia where delegates voted unanimously to establish PRSSA. The PRSA Board of Directors created the first PRSSA chapters on April 4, 1968, at nine qualified schools. Since those days PRSSA has progressed through leadership of its past committees and support of leaders. PRSSA has a rich legacy of leadership and growth due to the work of the visionary professionals and students who have lead the society.

The University of Oklahoma PRSSA chapter can help you stand out to future employers as well as help build relationships and networking skills. The peers you will meet and interact with will become you network upon graduation. OU PRSSA hosts many prestigious speakers and meaningful workshops.

PRSSA can help advance your education at the University of Oklahoma. PRSSA is here to prepare you to enter the exciting, challenging and dynamic world of public relations. PRSSA offers interactive meetings, meaningful workshops, entertaining speakers, proven professionals to guide you and driven peers who share interests, goals and standards of excellence.

PRSSA is here to serve the public relations students and any other Gaylord student.

The group hosts weekly meetings as well as holding several guest appearances with informational public relations professionals and speakers. This is a hand up for all Gaylord students.

The OU PRSSA cabinet officers include Rachel Worthen as President, Shelby Todd as Vice President, Katie Chrisman as Treasurer, Claire Mathison as Secretary, Molly Brown as Programming director, Ashley Robinson as Webmaster and Brittney Newby as Historian. All officers can be reached through Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. The National Faculty Advisor is Robert Pritchard.

Pritchard is a 1974 business administration

Backgrounder

graduate of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma; he also has a master’s of art in public relations. Pritchard has more than 25 years of experience as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy as well as eight years of experience as a public relations educator. As a member of the public relations society of America, Pritchard has been very active at the national level, having served on numerous PRSA task forces and committees.

The OU PRSSA also has a chapter firm called Lindsey + Asp, which is a full service student-­‐run advertising and public relations agency inside Gaylord College. Lindsey + Asp first opened its doors in August of 2009 and now has a total of 14 clients, finishing the year with $9,000 in revenue.

The OU PRSSA takes many trips to visit agencies around the country including New York and Dallas. This gives a helping hand to students when it comes to networking and to see what life in public relations is all about.

PRSSA meetings are held on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. in the Lindsey + Asp agency.

Anyone interested can be a member of PRSSA, for only $65 per year of membership.