The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) was founded in 1968 by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), 20 years after its establishment. The goal was to establish relationships between professionals and students.

PRSSA activity promotes: the understanding of current theories and procedures of the profession; appreciation of the highest ethical ideas and principles; awareness of an appropriate professional attitude; and appreciation of associate and eventually accredited membership in PRSA. Today, PRSSA has more than 10,000 members at 284 universities across the country, including Marshall University.

MU PRSSA was founded in the 1980s and strives to uphold its mission to serve its members by enhancing their knowledge of public relations and providing access to professional development opportunities. We emphasize having fun, while expanding knowledge of the field.

Through active involvement, members receive access to information about the profession, opportunities to learn about and discuss current public relations trends and chances to be involved with local public relations practitioners to learn from their experiences. MU PRSSA is associated with the PRSA chapter in Charleston. The affiliation has provided members the opportunity to develop relationships with professionals in the public relations field.

Other benefits include the right to use the JobCenter on PRSSA.org, where you can post resumes to assist in looking for entry-level jobs and even internships. Members will also be kept up-to-date on available scholarships.

In addition, members will be given the opportunity to travel to the national conference each fall semester. It is an excellent way to network, learn and have fun with peers.

Joining PRSSA will help embellish individuals' portfolios and establish friendships that could become potential contacts in the future. Any person can make a difference in making MU PRSSA stand out as students become well rounded in their field of study.

PRSSA collects dues each fall and spring. The cost is $50 for new members and $55 for returning members. For more information about PRSSA, contact: prssa.mu@gmail.com.

In 2008, PRSSA received an honorable mention at the Crystal Awards. The group put a lot of effort into a booklet for neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Cabell-Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W. Va. Entitled "Parents' Steps for Survival," it gave advice to soothe parents' anxieties while their children were making it through their stay at the NICU.

For more information, contact MU's PRSSA chapter at: prssa.mu@gmail.com or message on the Facebook group, We Are...PR.