Welcome to 2023: Another Year of Opportunity

Welcome to 2023: Another Year of Opportunity

by | Jan 31, 2023 | Featured

Written by Meghan Carver, President of the PRSA Kansas Chapter 

Hello, friend! I hope 2023 has brought you joy and fruitful reflection so far. This year, alongside our president-elect Ti’Juana Hardwell, I hope to lead the PRSA Kansas chapter with intention, humility and a heart for service. I’m a big fan of remaining grounded in your “why”, so I’d like to start the year by sharing mine with you. 

Eight years ago, I was eager to start as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freshman at Wichita State. I had one goal for college: focus on my career so I could land a job before graduation.

PRSSA was the first student organization that met my much-too-high expectations. I would learn from upperclassmen, network with Wichita-area professionals, travel to professional development conferences across the nation and experience leading as PRSSA president with the help of my incredible advisor, Eric Wilson. 

I invested in relationships that eventually became colleagues, friends (shoutout to fellow board members Ashtyn and Madison), supervisors (looking at you, Cynthia) and mentors (Wendy and I still grab lunch, which we need to do again soon). I graduated with wonderful memories, a strong foundation for my career and an invitation to join PRSA. 

I continue my work in this organization not only because it gave so much to me, but because communicators play a critical role in our communities. Communicators have near final say in the messages organizations put out into the world – down to the syllable.

They shape how, when and if we think about vital issues like politics, health, education, the products we consume and services we employ. It is critical that professionals like us are equipped with the tools, resources and connections we need to best inform our stakeholders. That means mentoring the next generation of communicators diverse in thought and background, testing our knowledge through accreditation, bringing critical thought to conversations about ethics and asking questions to develop an impactful strategy. I believe that means joining PRSA. 

Whether marketing, communications, social media or PR is in your title or not, take this as your formal invitation: engage with PRSA Kansas! Our board is dedicated to advancing you and your organization through networking, programming and education. 

Soon, I’ll share our key goals for 2023 with the hope that you hold us accountable, and, if you feel so moved, help us reach them. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out via email at meghancarver@hotmail.com. I’d love to hear from you and connect you with our outstanding board members!

Taking the APR Journey

Taking the APR Journey

by | Jan 10, 2023 | Featured, Uncategorized

Congratulations to PRSA Kansas’ most recent APRs!

It’s a “must do” for PR pros.

Written by Akeam Ashford, APR and Rachel Bell, APR

That’s the sentiment of PRSA Kansas’ two most recent APRs. 

Akeam Ashford and Rachel Bell have worked in communications for 15+ years, and they both agree that earning the APR accreditation is a great way to reinforce the value of communications, leaving you inspired and motivated.

We caught up with these two PR superstars and asked them about their APR journey.

Why did you decide to pursue APR accreditation?

Akeam: The APR designation is more than an acronym for me. Personally, it’s a symbol of achievement and commitment.

Rachel: I am on the leadership team of a public organization and one of our stated values is to always be improving. Getting my APR accreditation is one of the ways I could honor and live those values.  

What is something you learned during the process?

Akeam: What was really eye-opening for me was the idea that PR professionals have strategic skillset that can help businesses grow revenue. 

Rachel: The role of Public Relations has evolved over the years at my organization. During the APR process, I was reminded of how fortunate I am to work with people who see the value in what my team brings to the table. We have a voice in the planning and strategy phases and aren’t brought in later, as is the case with others who were going through the process with me.

What advice do you have for PR pros who are thinking about pursuing accreditation?

Akeam:  In the words of Nike, “Just do it!” You will find the most difficult part of attaining your APR is filling out the paperwork to apply for the designation. The process can be difficult to navigate, but PRSA national is there to help, as well as other chapter APR’s. The material is interesting and you’ve done it in some form or another; studying for your APR is really about understanding a systematic way (RPIE) of working through communication campaigns. You will feel motivated and empowered going through the process. 

Rachel: It’s never too late to become accredited, but I wish I’d done it earlier. We all get busy “doing” and sometimes we can lose sight of the “why”. Going through the process made me re-focus on the bigger goals of our public relations efforts.

According to the PRSA website, APR preparation ensures you have the tools to navigate challenging responsibilities, the vision to execute a larger strategy, and the expertise to be a thought leader. Once you indicate your interest in accreditation and have been accepted as an appropriate candidate, PR pros have one year to complete a written test and conduct a panel presentation.

Receiving this recognition demonstrates your proficiency and alignment with the cutting-edge PR practices and knowledge that will take you to the next level in your career.

If you are interested in pursuing your public relations APR accreditation contact Cynthia Wentworth, APR, PRSA Kansas’ accreditation chair at cynthia@greaterwichitapartnership.org.