By Marquette Millam
In the spring of 2023, I transferred to the University of Northern Iowa, which placed me in the middle of an academic year. I didn’t know anyone on campus or in my classes. To make some new friends, I sought out opportunities to join a student organization. After not knowing which organization I wanted to join, I stopped looking. Fall semester rolled around and UNI was hosting their student organization fair. I walked around and found a couple of clubs that sounded cool, but none that stood out to me. During my first week of class that semester, a member of the UNI PRSSA Executive Board gave a presentation about why students should join their organization. I went to the first PRSSA meeting of the year and have been going since. How PRSSA Has Helped Me Since joining PRSSA in Fall 2023, PRSSA has helped me make friends, meet new people every week, and help me learn more about my major. As a communication major, I knew there were multiple job opportunities, but I needed to figure out exactly what that entailed. Through PRSSA, I have gained an understanding of what it means to be in the public relations and communication profession and have gained real-world experience. In addition, PRSSA has helped me build my resume and my network. While in PRSSA, I have connected with professionals currently working in the field of communication, where I one day hope to be. Not only am I learning from the professionals, I get to learn more about their companies and agencies. It’s difficult to put into words how much PRSSA has truly helped me throughout college. Since joining PRSSA last year, I have acquired lifelong skills like networking, building my personal brand, the importance of friendships, and how to promote myself to future employers. Why I Value This Organization and Why Others Should Too I value this organization because, without it, I would still be sitting in my classes wondering what could've been. If I weren’t in that class the day an executive board member gave a presentation about PRSSA, I would still be trying to find my way in college. I’m thankful I was in the right place at the right time. My mom always reminds me that things happen for a reason. When I was younger, I didn’t believe that, but now, I believe that hearing about PRSSA and joining was meant to happen. This organization has provided me with the best of relationships with friends and professionals. Others should value PRSSA because this organization will always be something you can look back on. All of the professionals who have spoken to our chapter have reminisced about their time in PRSSA and how they cherish the ways this organization has enhanced their professional careers. Through PRSSA, you learn new ways to brand yourself and acquire unique qualities to help you stand out. PRSSA is also great for networking and it can help your resume shine. To anyone interested in joining PRSSA, I would love to see you there! This organization genuinely cares about your future goals and will help you take steps to achieve them. No matter when you join PRSSA, you will be attaining lifelong skills. See you in Lang 346, on Mondays at 4 p.m.
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