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2010-05-02 22:40:45
Public Relations track celebrates 20th anniversary
1. Public Relations track celebrates 20th anniversary
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Written by Monica White Collegian Editor
When Lindsay Beach walks across the stage in May to get her diploma, many things will be going through her mind: excitement, perhaps a little nervousness and amazement that her time at La Salle University is up.
What will not be on her mind is the prospect of job-hunting.
Beach secured a job two months prior to graduation with Kristine Parkes, founding partner of Krisp Communications, La Salle University’s Public Relations Student Society of America, or PRSSA, Professional Advisor, and La Salle alumni.
“I think that speaks a lot about the [public relations] program,” Beach said.
Beach happens to be graduating during the 20th anniversary of the creation of the public relations track at La Salle. La Salle’s PRSSA held a PR Night two weeks ago that brought together current students, faculty and alumni to celebrate the anniversary.
Lynne Texter, Chair of the Communication Department, says that public relations has always been one of the strongest tracks. When it first started, there were about 200 students. When the department moved into its new building in 1994, the track had almost doubled in size.
Texter also said that the creation of the PR track helped create more depth within the Communication program.
“Everyone took the same courses,” Texter said, speaking of the department before the track. “There was a little bit of everything.”
Michael Smith, faculty advisor for PRSSA, said that looking back on the history of the track is “fascinating”because it teaches us that, while some principles stay the same, communication is always changing.
Smith believes that what sets La Salle’s program apart from other schools is its commitment to give back to the community as well as its small class sizes, a fact that attracted sophomore Jacob Dylik.
Dylik especially enjoyed PR Night. He agreed with a statement made by Parkes, who was the keynote speaker of the evening, that the communication department is a family.
“It was a family atmosphere,” Dylik said. “We all connected.”
As Beach prepares to leave her Communication Department family, she leaves a word of advice to those like Dylik who are just beginning the PR track.
“The tools and resources are there for you to use,” she said. “It’s up to you to use them.”
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