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In a conference style setting, Friday, April 4 provided upwards of 50 students the opportunity to hear from PR professionals about how what it means to be a PR professional, from how to get that first job to how to handle public relations crises.  A key note address started the day with Katie Pace who talked about those coveted internships at Fleishman Hillard in St. Louis to understanding how Facebook and MySpace pages are used by agencies to “screen” applicants. After that address, a panel of local PR professionals (Melinda Arnold, Jacob Day, John Scroggins, and Sarah Cochran) and academics (Sam Dyer) talked about everything from “the (a)typical day” on the job to how one gets started in PR, to what the new buzz words and trends are in the profession. After this livelly session, panelists joined students for lunch.  At each of the tables discussion centered on getting internships and resume tips. Students brought resumes for professionals to review and provide comments.

Congratulations to the officers of the PRSSA student group for putting on a great event (as it should be, they are PR professionals in training).  Emilee Mudd is the current president who deserves kudos, along with the other officers and planners for putting on such a professional event!