Welcome to the PRSA Volunteer Chapter blog. We hope that you find relevant, timely and useful information about professional communications here.
The posts you’ll find here in the coming months will be written by our members — among them, longtime communicators and public relations professionals as well as recent graduates or those transitioning to PR from another field. Our members bring diverse viewpoints and expertise to their jobs, to the Volunteer Chapter and to our community.
The viewpoints of our individual members may not necessarily reflect the views of the Volunteer Chapter, but all of our members — as well as our Chapter — are devoted to openness, honesty and ethical behavior in communications.
If you have questions, drop us a line.
Did you know that the Volunteer Chapter is 103 members strong as of the end of this month? That means we’ll be represented by two voting delegates at the PRSA National Assembly in October. With that in mind, we thought it was a good time to look at our chapter by the numbers. Here are… Read More
This month, we sat down with Mallorie Mendence, APR, Director of Special Events and Public Relations with University of Tennessee Alumni Affairs, for our member spotlight. Education/Certifications: B.A. from Berry College in Rome, Georgia (honors graduate) and APR certification Employment: University of Tennessee, Alumni Affairs, Director of Special Events and PR Why did you choose… Read More
This month, we sat down with Jason Bohne, Communications Director at Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC for our member spotlight. Education/Certifications: B.A. Mass Communication, Idaho State University; Graduate Certificate in Integrated Marketing Comunications, West Virginia University Employment: Communications director, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (contractor for the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and the… Read More
In the public relations business, we often seek out strategies and initiatives that generate a “win-win,” for not only our own employer or client but also other stakeholders. The ideal scenario is one in which everyone gains something they want without perceiving they lost something as part of the deal. Read the full column by… Read More
By Ashley McCloud I had the pleasure of attending the 2018 PRSA Southeast District Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. As I drove my car over the North Carolina mountains, I was excited to participate in my first PRSA conference and see what Raleigh had to offer since it was my first time visiting! On the… Read More
In honor of APR month, we got to know more about our chapter’s APR Chair, Jenny Fowler, APR Education/Certifications: MBA, Marketing, UTK; BA, Biology, UTK; APR Employment: Self-employed and principal consultant with Cathey Communications Why did you choose public relations as a career? A career in PR offered me a way to use my writing… Read More
April is APR Month! “Does having your APR help you get a promotion or a better job?” That’s a question I hear frequently from young public relations professionals who are contemplating earning their Accreditation in Public Relations. My answer—“No, not really”—almost always elicits surprised looks, especially when you consider my role as APR Chair for… Read More
In recent months of sexual harassment protests and the resulting #MeToo movement, certain key points often get lost in the mix of controversial media coverage. One key issue that’s often overlooked is the degree to which women can feel – because of long-standing gender imbalances in certain professions – outnumbered, unwelcome or at an automatic disadvantage… Read More
According to a November 2017 Newsweek report, the term “fake news” was declared the official Collins Dictionary Word of the Year for 2017. Citations of the term spiked 365 percent since 2016 when it burst into the public vernacular – replete with hashtag – during the hotly contested presidential campaign and its equally contested aftermath.… Read More
The recent Rocky Top Revolution is proof positive that social media ignites online fury and stokes offline uprisings. Read More
