Public relations professionals kick start careers

By Christopher Exantus

The life of a collegiate scholar is filled with last-minute papers, rushing to classes and realizing that a good night’s sleep may be a thing of the past. However difficult college may be, it is what lies beyond graduation that truly terrifies most students.

With the threat of venturing into the real world looming in the future, any kind of help is welcomed. Support is available in the form of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a community of professionals dedicated toward helping students jump-start their careers by exposing them to industry experts in a variety of occupations with the hope that those connections will lead to jobs in the future.

Morgan Todd, a senior Rider transfer student, is the president of the PRSA chapter at Rider and hopes the club will be accredited by next fall.

“I transferred here [from Cook University] and there weren’t that many members in the club,” she said. “I wanted to make it a bigger club and get more people involved.”

Todd explained that in order for the chapter to come into fruition it needs to have at least 10 members who are willing to pay the club fee of $50 a year — something that the chapter has already achieved.

“If you continuously pay the $50 [fee] you become a full professional member,” she said. “It’s life-long, so you can continue to talk to people [after graduation].”

Chartered in 1947, the PRSA has branches in nearly every state in the country and contains over 21,000 professionals in the public relations field as members.

Members are able to take part in events that specialize in motivating students into networking.

“[PRSA is] already sending us to networking events [so] we can invite members to go to meet professionals,” Todd said. “They’re fun events, and you really network with people.”

Rider’s Public Relations Society has already begun networking with others, even though it is not currently an official PRSA chapter, according to the vice president of the club Jennifer Moscatelli, a junior public relations major.

“PR society helps organizations around campus to promote their special events,” she said. “Right now we are working on a campaign for Rider Runners. We also help local businesses with social media and advertising.”

Todd hopes that through word-of-mouth and increasing appearances on campus, more organizations will begin to look at the society for help. She is also excited for the future of the public relations society, despite graduation being upon her.

“It’d be great for Rider to buy [the chapter] because it will give students a huge opportunity to connect,” she said.

Todd said those who are interested in joining can contact Dr. Aaron Moore, assistant professor of journalism.