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 Hello everyone! As I write this from my office, it’s 12 degrees outside – brrrrrr! I hope you are all keeping yourselves warm and healthy this winter!
I’m excited to work with our new PRSA board for 2022. Welcome to our new board members -- Alyson Maloney, Brittany Eifert, Michelle Drager and Rachel Forth! I’m excited to see what we can do this year with the new energy and ideas coming to the table.
Speaking of new ideas, we held our board orientation last week and came up with so many of them! We all agreed that recruiting new members while continuing to engage our current members is one of our biggest priorities. We also want to do more to involve the PRSSA chapters at our neighboring colleges and universities. They are the future of this chapter!
We are excited to celebrate our 70th anniversary as a chapter in 2023. We are creating a committee to plan for this yearlong celebration with a new logo, a branding campaign, news features and special events. If you would like to be involved, please let me know at michele_besso@yahoo.com
We are still looking for volunteers to lead or serve on our committees, including membership, diversity & inclusion, communications and sponsorship. Please e-mail me if you would like to serve. We would love to have you.
Bottom line – 2022 is all about delivering added value to you as a member. What type of programs are you interested in? What type of networking events would you like to see? How can we help you meet your professional development goals? We are here for you so use us! And remember everything that comes with your membership, including access to awesome webinars and programs through PRSA National.
I hope to “see” more of you in the near future, as we hopefully get back to providing some much needed in-person programs and events. For now, stay warm, safe and healthy and make it your goal to get involved with PRSA!
Best,
Michele Besso
President, PRSA Philadelphia
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 Attention APRs: Maintenance of Accreditation is now Accreditation Renewal
New CEU-based System Replaces Points-based System
By: Dr. Jacob Farbman, APR,
Executive Director, New Jersey Council of County Colleges
For Accredited in Public Relations (APR) members of PRSA Philadelphia, the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) has instituted significant changes to the maintenance of the accreditation process.
Once earned, the APR credential must be renewed every three years. Only APRs who are members of the PRSA College of Fellows are exempt from Accreditation Renewal.
Beginning this month, those with the APR credential will have to utilize the new application with the Continuing Education Units (CEU) system to renew their credential. More information, including the Accreditation Renewal Application, can be found on the PRSA APR website.
In 2018, the UAB performed an extensive review of the APR/APR+M Maintenance Program and made changes to align the APR/APR+M processes and procedures with current standards and best practices for professional development programs.
According to the UAB, CEUs better align with industry best practices and provide an easier, more efficient program renewal process. A CEU-based unit system helps eliminate disparities with points based on actual time spent on renewal activities. Additionally, CEUs will be easily accommodated in most automated systems that may be put in place in the future. A CEU equals 10 hours of participation in UAB-approved training or other professional development activities.
- For APRs: A minimum of 15 CEUs is required for renewal over the three-year period; at least seven CEUs must be in continuing education and professional development and one CEU in ethics.
- For APR+Ms: A minimum of 30 CEUs is required for renewal over the three-year period; at least seven CEUs must be in continuing education and professional development, one CEU in ethics and 15 CEUs in military public affairs.
The UAB also provided reasoning for adding one CEU in ethics to the renewal: Ethical practices are an imperative component for continuing education for all communication/public relations professionals. Earning the APR/APR+M credential denotes that the practitioner has achieved a high level of mastery of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the practice of public relations, including a strong emphasis throughout the process and understanding of ethical standards. As the conscience of the organizations we serve, APR/APR+M practitioners have an obligation to remain current in this area.
Several resources exist to help fulfill the one CEU in ethics for Accreditation Renewal:
If you have any questions regarding the Accreditation Renewal process, please contact Dr. Jacob Farbman, APR, PRSA Philadelphia Chapter APR Chair, via jfarbman@njccc.org.
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Help PRSA Philadelphia Celebrate 70 Years of Service!
In support of our 70th anniversary in 2022, we are creating a committee to plan for this yearlong celebration with a new logo, a branding campaign, news features and special events.
We are also conducting a design contest for the anniversary logo! Submit your logo concepts for the chance to have your work featured throughout 2022-2023 including on our website, monthly newsletter, media releases, print materials, and more!
The logo must contain our chapter name and the words “70th Anniversary.”
Entries must be in .jpeg and .png formats and contain a color and black and white version.
If you are interested in joining the 70th anniversary committee and/or would like to take part in the logo design contest, please reach out to michele_besso@yahoo.com.
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Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Pepperpot Awards!
The PRSA Pepperpot Awards are a staple in the Philadelphia region, recognizing best-in-class PR campaigns, tactics, and professionals. The “Pepperpots” were named by Bill Parker, APR, then-chapter president and head of the Campbell Soup’s communications department, as a play on the famous “catch-all” Philadelphia soup to represent the effort and variety PR professionals put into their campaigns.
Last month, PR and Communications professionals from the Greater Philadelphia region came together to honor and recognize the work of their peers. A total of 90 entries were judged independently by PRSA Central Michigan across more than 25 public relations categories—from campaigns such as public service, special events, and COVID communications to tactics such as feature stories, newsletters, and websites.
Read more about the event here. |
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Love your PRSA Membership? Encourage a friend or colleague to join today!
Learn more here.
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PRSA Job Board
For those of you who may be in the hiring position, we hope that you will
submit your openings as they become available so we can share them with our
community of PR and communications professionals.
If you are on the job hunt yourself, check out our local chapter listings.
We also encourage you to visit the PRSA National job board.
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