by Wesley Johnson
Before the fall semester of 2022, I didn’t know a single person studying in the same field as me. I recognized a few faces from classes in the past, but I had no personal connections with anybody, and I never made any attempt to connect with anyone. During one of the first days of a writing class I was enrolled in last fall semester, a member of UNI’s PRSSA executive board informed the class of the club’s first meeting and encouraged everyone to come. To this day I’m not exactly sure what convinced me to leave my comfort zone, but something told me to go to that first meeting, and I’ve only benefitted ever since. First Impressions When I was going into my first PRSSA meeting, I had no idea what to expect. I had never been a part of a student organization before or even looked into joining one. Walking in shortly before the meeting, I was immediately greeted with beaming smiles from members of the executive board. All of them were excited to see a new face. I took my seat and shortly after, the meeting began. Since this was the first meeting of the semester, the meeting was all about showcasing what PRSSA was about, the benefits of becoming a member, and what was in store for the semester. The list of different resources made available through becoming a member and the speakers lined up from different areas of the public relations field seemed like too good of an offer for me to pass up. I thought to myself, “Why wouldn’t I want access to a site that has information about the world of PR and possible internship and career opportunities?” That day, I became a dues-paying member, and I still haven’t found any reason to regret it. What I’ve Gained as a Member During my first semester as a member of PRSSA, not only did I get to participate in fun social events and become friends with other members, but I also learned a lot more than I expected. Being able to listen to several different speakers that joined our meetings either in person or via Zoom really opened my eyes to the different career paths that I could take through public relations. When I chose to become a public relations major, I only thought I was going to learn how to make a company look good to the general public. Being able to listen to professionals who have worked in the many different areas of public relations, and getting to hear about their day-to-day life has opened my eyes to so many different possibilities. I now have a better understanding of what I can make of myself with the skills that I continue to develop and learn more about what can come of a career in public relations. To anyone who may be considering joining PRSSA, I would highly recommend joining to experience the full benefits I have. For anyone who may be hesitant to join, just remember that you don’t have to become a dues-paying member to come to our meetings and get a feel for what PRSSA is all about. For more information about joining UNI PRSSA, visit our website: Membership - UNI PRSSA (weebly.com)
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