PRSSA elected new officers to serve for the 2009 to 2010 academic year.  Officers include: president, Angela Sundstrom; vice president, Tiffany Bajus; secretary, Kerissa Bennett; historian/PR director, Joanie Borders. Congratulations!

PRSSA and PRSA met for its speed networking on April 29 in Room 2W22 of the Memorial Student Center at 6 p.m. It was definitely a great opportunity for PRSSA members to meet professionals in the area and ask any questions they may have had about the public relations (PR) field. It opened the door for contacts for not only internships but also for potential jobs. Plus, it was fun getting to interact in a nonprofessional setting with delicious appetizers.

April 9 marked the 20th annual Third House at the Capitol, and PRSSA couldn't wait to volunteer. Third House is a comedy show put on by reporters throughout the area at the end of each legislative session. It provides the legislatures with a relaxing night to let off steam built up throughout the session. PRSSA helped with ushering legislators, handing out programs and collecting money.  After a great show put on by Jamie LoFiego and "Up Late," Beth Vorhees and others, members got to pose for a picture with Governor Joe Manchin, who strongly encouraged them to "stay in West Virginia." They also posed with the star of the show, Barbie. Barbie poked fun at the Barbie bill, which attempted to ban the Barbie in West Virginia. It sure was an entertaining night.

Members of PRSSA also participated in the Empty Bowls campaign. A few of the members were a part of the campaigns class, which was in charge of putting it together. From inviting the community to making sure enough soup was donated, they worked hard to make it a success. The additional PRSSA members volunteered their time to help. It was a great opportunity for them to see how the event played out to give them a head start on next year's event.

After a couple of weeks of compiling J-Schoolers' opinions, MU PRSSA found out the top ten reasons we are all J-School Junkies. The list was put on a T-shirt in order to raise money for the groups' future activities including attending the 2009 National Conference in San Diego. The amount of shirts sold was impressive because everyone knows, deep down, they are really a J-School Junkie.

You know you're a J-School Junkie when:

10. You've always wanted to go back to Hollis' JMC 101 class the day he sings.
9. You know Tammy's knowledge is second only to Albert Einstein.
8. You remember the day the Mountain-Dew drinking camel came to class.
7. Your blood pressure skyrockets every time the world's problems are blamed on "The Media."
6. You start nitpicking Facebook pictures because they don't follow the "Rule of Thirds."
5. The words "360" and "Parthenon" strike fear in your heart.
4. You've sacrificed entire packages to the unforgiving-edit-bay-hard-drive gods.
3. You not only write your stories in AP Style but also your e-mails, text messages, Facebook status updates, etc.
2. You dread going to nonjournalism classes.
1. You know the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications is the best school on campus.

MU PRSSA would like to welcome its newest members.

1. Kerissa Bennett
2. Joanie Borders
3. Whitney Howell
4. Zoey Nguyen
5. Patrick Stanley
6. Elizabeth Stewart
7. Trang Vu