My Experience Attending the 2025 PRSSA Leadership Assembly

Meeting and Networking with Fellow PRSSA Students 

This year’s PRSSA Leadership Assembly was hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event provided students with the opportunity to build leadership skills through seminars and discussions with professionals in the public relations industry and network with other students who are a part of PRSSA at their respective universities. I was one of the two representatives who attended on behalf of GVSU along with Britlynn Veliz. On Thursday, we met with other PRSSA members across the country, including students from North Carolina, Arizona, and Puerto Rico. We discussed similarities and differences between our chapters as a way to pull ideas from one another that we can implement in our own chapters.

This discussion was by far my favorite part of the assembly. I found it insightful to connect with other students who are interested in working in the PR industry, are currently pursuing a degree to do so, and are a part of PRSSA. I learned a lot from the other students and was able to connect with each of them on LinkedIn, expanding my network and helping me stay connected with them in the future. I had never really thought about how other chapters operate their meetings, raise funds, or retain members. This experience was a good reminder that there are many ways to do something and that it’s beneficial to learn from those around us. 

Hearing from Industry Professionals

There were several discussions that we attended throughout the three-day assembly with topics ranging from DEI to work-life balance. David Grossman was the featured speaker on night one and talked about ways to be successful, including being authentic, holding firm in your beliefs, and being known for who you are as a person rather than the title you possess. 

The following day, there was a luncheon and panel discussion of professionals (Andrew Cook, Sarah Dougherty, and Tamarra Thal) who have transitioned from being members of PRSSA at their colleges to active members of PRSA. They shared their insights about the benefits of being a member of PRSA,  as well as how they navigated their path as a young professional and ways to maintain work-life balance to avoid burnout. 

Another discussion was presented by Natalia Flores centered around DEI and its importance, how to stick up for those when injustices occur, and how to maintain DEI in a time when many companies are rolling back initiatives. I was introduced to the concept of IDEA +B, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Belonging. 

The final discussion had to do with learning from mistakes and turning negatives into positives. Cheron Porter discussed the importance of not being too hard on yourself when you fall short, advocating for your peace to maintain work-life balance, and learning from a mentor. 

Expanding My Knowledge About the Benefits of PRSA

Throughout the assembly, we learned about the benefits of being a member of PRSSA and, later, a member of PRSA. I became aware of several resources that I had not heard about before, so I wanted to share them in case they would be of interest! 

The first was a member directory where you can search professionals who are members of PRSA by going to connect.prsa.org/home and clicking on “tools and resources.” This would be of use to those looking to connect with professionals who work in specific sectors or cities/states that they wish to learn more about or reconnect with people they’ve previously met. 

There is also a PRSA mentor connect program (connect.prsa.org/home and click “mentor connect”) where you can apply to be a mentee to learn from a professional in the industry. Mentors can be vital pillars of professional development and serve as valuable tools for making your way in the industry through practical advice and acting as a support system. 

Similarly, Champions for PRSSA allows you to connect with a champion who can then prepare you for your future career in PR by connecting you with professionals and job opportunities, serving as your advocate. Additionally, PRSA Jobcenter allows you to search for jobs and internships through a one-stop, reliable database. 

My experience at the PRSSA Leadership Assembly was positive and I recommend considering attending next year’s event in the spring of 2026! From connecting with other PRSSA students from across the country to hearing from industry professionals, the experience enhanced my understanding of PR. I’m now more interested than ever in continuing my membership of PRSA post-graduation and am excited to be a part of such a vast, professional organization. The knowledge and connections obtained through this experience were invaluable, significantly strengthening my position as a young professional.

About Jaelyn

Jaelyn is a junior majoring in Advertising and Public Relations with a PR emphasis and minors in Digital Studies and Applied Communications. She is excited to expand her knowledge of the PR industry as a new member of GVPRSSA and GrandPR. Jaelyn hopes to obtain a summer internship next summer in Detroit at Lambert. After she graduates, she hopes to work at a PR agency in or near Detroit.