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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 12, Issue 1

Letter from the Special Issue Editors & Table of Contents

Emily S. Kinsky

Emily S. Kinsky
West Texas A&M University
Professor
Past Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: ekinsky@wtamu.edu

Chuck Lubbers

Chuck Lubbers
University of South Dakota
Professor
Past Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: chuck.lubbers@usd.edu

Adrienne A. Wallace
Grand Valley State University
Editor-in-Chief
Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu

Editors’ Note: “Elevating PR: Insights and Trends in Graduate Education” 

It is with tremendous honor and deep gratification that we introduce this special issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education, a collection of scholarly work that addresses a critical and timely gap in our field: the state of graduate education in public relations. This issue comes at a pivotal moment in our discipline, when the landscape of higher education is shifting, our industry is navigating technological disruption, and questions about the value and structure of advanced degrees are being asked with unprecedented urgency.

The Impetus for this Special Issue 

Since 1975, the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) has maintained a steadfast commitment to studying and improving public relations education standards and practices. However, much of that effort has focused on undergraduate education and the crucial transition from the academy to the profession at the entry level. In 1999, the CPRE “Port of Entry” report established the university as the official pathway for those seeking to establish careers in public relations, recognizing both undergraduate and graduate education as essential “tooling and retooling centers” for the profession. Yet, despite the substantial growth in master’s-level public relations programs over the past decade, the last comprehensive CPRE report dedicated exclusively to graduate education was published in 2012, well over a decade ago. 

The intervening years have witnessed profound transformations. The global pandemic reshaped how we work and learn, fundamentally altering the pedagogy of graduate education. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged not merely as a technological tool but as a force reshaping job functions and competencies. The profession itself has fragmented and rebranded across multiple disciplines and specializations, such as strategic communication, integrated marketing communication, corporate communication, and beyond. Master’s programs have proliferated, diversified, and dispersed across various academic units and delivery models. In the face of this complexity and growth, the need for scholarly attention to graduate public relations education became undeniable. 

This special issue, titled “Elevating PR: Insights and Trends in Graduate Education,” was conceived to further bridge this pedagogical gap in tandem with the 2025 CPRE report and to spark contemporary dialogue about the future of graduate education in our field. We sought to invite research articles, teaching briefs, scholarly essays, and case studies that would explore both the challenges and opportunities inherent in graduate-level public relations education. The call extended an open invitation to examine how practitioner expectations align with graduate curricula, how best practices in internships and applied learning can be designed, how research and data analytical abilities are cultivated, and how graduate programs connect, or fail to connect, with the demands of contemporary professional practice. 

What This Issue Reveals 

The manuscripts brought together in this collection offer a multifaceted portrait of graduate public relations education in the United States, which expands upon the work recently published by the CPRE research committee in the Graduate Education in Public Relations: 2025 Report, released in November. Collectively, they represent the work of educators, researchers, and practitioners committed to understanding and improving the graduate student experience and, ultimately, the competency of the professionals our programs produce. 

Several critical themes emerge from this collection. First, the issue addresses the persistent challenge of curricular inconsistency and lack of standardization across graduate programs. Despite decades of recommendations from the Commission on Public Relations Education, programs continue to vary significantly in their structure, titles, course offerings, and culminating experiences. Some programs house themselves within journalism schools; others reside in business colleges, communication departments, or interdisciplinary centers. This fragmentation raises important questions about what prospective students can expect, what employers should anticipate, and how our field can signal its credibility and value. 

Second, this special issue grapples with the critical question of alignment—the alignment between what the industry needs and what our programs teach. The gap between employer expectations and graduate preparation surfaces repeatedly across these manuscripts. Practitioners emphasize the importance of writing proficiency, interpersonal communication, strategic thinking, and professional maturity in their graduate interns, yet many find these competencies underdeveloped. This disconnect demands our attention and our response. 

Third, these articles illuminate the reality of contemporary graduate student diversity—not only in terms of students’ demographic characteristics, but also in their goals, backgrounds, and contexts. Graduate programs now serve students pursuing doctoral degrees, career advancement in practice, and specialization in niche sectors. They serve full-time and part-time students, residential and online learners, career-changers and industry veterans. The “one-size-fits-all” approach to graduate education is no longer viable…if it ever was. 

Fourth, these research endeavors document important efforts to innovate pedagogically. From service-learning models that bridge community engagement with research methods training to intentional curriculum design informed by industry input, this issue captures creative and thoughtful responses to the challenges of contemporary graduate education. These examples demonstrate that excellence in graduate public relations education is not only achievable but is already taking place in pockets across our discipline. 

The Articles in This Issue 

The collection opens with research examining curriculum and standards insights provided by educators, followed by an audit of graduate program websites analyzing curricular offerings and assessing alignment with existing recommendations. These first two articles provide valuable empirical documentation of the current master’s-degree landscape and inform ongoing efforts by the Commission on Public Relations Education to revise and update standards. 

We are also pleased to feature an examination of practitioners’ expectations for graduate education, a timely survey that captures the voices of industry leaders and updates prior research in light of seismic shifts in practice brought about by the pandemic, technological advancement, and changing social dynamics. This research provides empirical grounding for conversations about what skills and knowledge matter most in contemporary professional contexts. 

This issue includes scholarship focused on inclusion, equity, and representation in graduate education, a critical imperative for our discipline. Research exploring the lived experiences of Black graduate students and faculty in public relations illuminates systemic challenges in recruitment, retention, and support. These insights are essential reading for all who work in graduate education and aspire to create more welcoming, affirming, and equitable learning environments. 

Additionally, we include research examining what industry professionals expect from graduate interns, the skills, competencies, and dispositions they value, and the gaps they perceive in graduate preparation. This work provides actionable guidance for program directors and faculty committed to strengthening the professional readiness of their graduates.

The last full article shares how public relations is presented, or absent, in sport management master’s programs. This work challenges us to consider whether our field maintains visibility and voice in related disciplines, and whether professionals in adjacent fields are being adequately prepared to leverage public relations expertise. 

Finally, this issue includes two teaching briefs. The first demonstrates the pedagogical value of service-learning in graduate research methods instruction, offering a practical model for educators who seek to bridge theory and application while fostering meaningful community partnerships. The second explores the creation of thought leadership articles by graduate students on LinkedIn. Such examples of class-tested project ideas are invaluable for faculty considering pedagogical innovation. 

Looking Forward 

As we reflect on this collection and consider its significance, we are struck by several observations. First, there is genuine consensus in these articles about what matters: graduate education must be intentional, theory-grounded, professionally relevant, and equitable. There is, however, less certainty about how to achieve these goals within the constraints of institutional structures, resource limitations, and competing pedagogical philosophies. That uncertainty reflects the genuine complexity of graduate education in an applied discipline. 

Second, the research findings within this issue reveal that graduate public relations education is not in crisis. It is in transition. Our programs are responding creatively and thoughtfully to changing contexts and emerging needs. Yet they would benefit from greater alignment, more explicit communication of their value propositions, and renewed commitment to standards that ensure quality and consistency without stifling innovation and specialization. 

Third, we are grateful that these articles attend carefully to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As of late, and way too often, discussions of curriculum and standards abstract away from the human experiences of students, particularly students from historically marginalized communities. This issue reminds us that excellent graduate education is not only intellectually rigorous but also humane and affirming. 

We would be remiss if we did not mention the role our dear friend Pamela Bourland-Davis had in this issue – she aided in dreaming and scheming this idea. She was so enthusiastic about the potential of an entire issue of JPRE dedicated to *just* graduate education. Dr. Bourland-Davis, we dedicate this issue to you. We are certain your heart guided our work. 

We are also grateful to the authors who contributed their scholarship, the peer reviewers who provided constructive feedback, and the practitioner-partners who participated in the research and shared their insights. Finally, we thank the CPRE research committee and leadership team, as well as the JPRE editorial team, for their commitment to supporting this issue and advancing scholarship in public relations education. 

This special issue on graduate public relations education is offered in the spirit of generative dialogue. We hope this issue will spark conversations on campuses, in professional organizations, and in industry settings about what excellent graduate education in public relations looks like and how we, collectively, can ensure that our programs prepare the next generation of public relations leaders to navigate complexity, lead with integrity, and serve the public interest with wisdom and skill. 

As we move forward, may we do so together, committed to elevating the quality, relevance, equity, and impact of graduate public relations education. 

With warm regard and deep appreciation for our scholarly community, 

Drs. Kinsky, Lubbers, Wallace, & Bourland-Davis (in memoriam)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Editors
Emily S. Kinsky, Chuck Lubbers, & Adrienne A. Wallace

ARTICLES

State of Public Relations Master’s Degree Education in the United States: 2025 Curricular Standards 
Hongmei Shen, Kenneth Plowman, & Melody Fisher

To Degree or Not to Degree: The Unclear Value and Expectations of Public Relations Graduate Education 
Stephanie Madden, Chelsea Woods, Kathleen Rennie, & Karla K. Gower

Public Relations Practitioners’ Expectations for Graduate Education 
Marlene Neill, Patrick Merle, & Anni Qiang

Appreciative but Battered: The Bittersweet Experiences of Former Black Public Relations Graduate Students 
Candice L. Edrington, Damion Waymer, Maryam Goli, & LaTonya Taylor

Shaping Future Professionals: Industry Perspectives on Graduate Internships 
Richard D. Waters, Elizabeth C. Ray, & Eldaneka Rolle

In the Lineup or on the Bench? Searching for PR in Sports Management Master’s Programs 
Betsy Emmons & Elizabeth S. Cox

GIFTS

GIFT: Graduate Instruction with Purpose: Career Readiness and Community Engagement in Quantitative Methods Courses 
Virginia Harrison

GIFT: Demonstrating Course Competencies and Student Expertise through a Thought Leadership Assignment 
Laura Willis 

Read the Full Issue:

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 11, Issue 3

Letter from the Editor

Adrienne A. Wallace
Grand Valley State University
Editor-in-Chief
Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu

Thank you for engaging with the Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) and with this final issue of 2025 (11-3). In this issue, once again, we showcase the vibrancy, innovation, and care that public relations educators bring to their classrooms and curricula. The manuscripts collected here reflect a shared commitment to preparing students for a profession that is increasingly data-driven, AI-mediated, and equity-focused, while remaining grounded in ethical practice and human-centered communication.​

This issue features pedagogical work that helps students navigate emerging technologies with critical insight and practical skill. One teaching brief immerses undergraduates in a high-pressure simulation of an AI-triggered crisis, asking them to apply crisis communication theories in real time, collaborate across stakeholder roles, and reflect on the ethical use of generative AI in organizational communication. Another contribution uses AI-generated, arts-based audience personas to deepen students’ audience analysis, integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles so that students practice ethical prompt design, realistic representation of identities, and research-informed segmentation for strategic campaigns.​

Alongside these technology-focused innovations, this issue also advances the conversation about quantitative literacy in public relations. One study introduces the construct of “closeness to numbers,” illuminating how practical, civic, and cultural numeracies can be nurtured over time, through concrete contexts, supportive learning communities, and intentional efforts to counter math anxiety and negative self-talk. Together, these pieces underscore that preparing students for contemporary practice means helping them both interpret data and understand the human stories, identities, and power structures that those data represent.​

Across the manuscripts in 11-3, several themes emerge: the value of experiential learning, the importance of safe and inclusive learning environments, and the need to integrate data, technology, and IDEA throughout the curriculum rather than confining them to isolated modules or single courses. The authors in this issue offer concrete models, simulation designs, assignment structures, and conceptual frameworks that colleagues can adapt to their own institutional contexts and student populations.​

JPRE continues to depend on an army of volunteers, comprising a vibrant community of reviewers, authors, and readers who share a vision of public relations education that is evidence-based, ethically grounded, globally engaged, and, dare I even say it… fun! Gratitude is extended to the authors, reviewers, and production team whose volunteer labor and scholarly generosity make this issue possible, and to the educators who will carry these ideas into their classrooms and programs.​ We appreciate your support, encouragement, love, and trust in our humble journal.

Adrienne A. Wallace
Editor-in-Chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Editor
Adrienne A. Wallace

ARTICLES

Addressing the Phrase, “I’m in PR because I Hate Math:” Role of Experiential Factors in Developing Closeness to Numbers through Practical, Civic, and Cultural Numeracies
Meghnaa Tallapragada

TEACHING BRIEFS/GIFTS

Using AI Arts-based Audience Personas for Deepening Audience Analysis, Incorporating DEI
Denisse Vasquez-Guevara

A Simulation Exercise on Tackling AI-triggered Crisis
Ruoyu Sun, Yan Jin, & Wenqing Zhao

BOOK REVIEWS

Strategic Communication Research Methods
Jacob Long

Strategic Communications for PR, Social Media, and Marketing (8th ed.)
Betsy Emmons

Read the Full Issue:

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Honoring Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis: A Legacy of Leadership, Mentorship, and Heart

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis, a beloved educator, tireless leader, and cherished member of the public relations academic community. Her sudden departure leaves a void that will be felt across the many professional circles she so actively enriched.

Dr. Bourland-Davis’s career is a testament to the powerful combination of intellectual rigor and compassionate mentorship. At Georgia Southern University, where she chaired the Department of Communication for 19 years, Pam was known not only for her administrative strength but for the enduring support she offered to colleagues and students alike. She led with both vision and heart.

Nationally, her influence was equally significant. She served as a past editor of this journal and held leadership roles in practically every scholarly association, including Head of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC (2000-2001) and the Southern States Communication Association (SSCA), where she served as President in 2020. Her thoughtful contributions to the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) helped shape the standards that guide our field – she was just stepping into the Vice-Chair role at CPRE to galvanize these efforts. In recent years, her commitment to service and education was formally recognized with honors from both SSCA and NCA.

However, what many of us will remember most about Pam is the way she quietly but consistently cultivated community and, oh, ever-so-gently nudged people into leadership roles. She saw capacity in us that we did not even see in ourselves. Pam welcomed collaboration, mentored emerging scholars with patience and encouragement, and brought warmth and wisdom to every room she entered – okay, okay, and a little bit of good old-fashioned southern sass too.

In an academic world that can often feel fragmented or competitive, she built bridges. She looked for opportunities to include, to guide, and to affirm. Pam never pulled the ladder up behind her; she always had a hand on your back, reassuring you that you really could do it too. Her legacy is not only found in publications, awards, or committee work, but in the many individuals whose professional paths she influenced and whose personal lives she enriched.

As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her impact. Dr. Bourland-Davis embodied the values of generosity, excellence, and service that define the very best in our field. May we carry her example forward by supporting one another with the same authenticity, humility, and grace that she gave so freely.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and the wide-reaching academic network that will miss her dearly. Further details on memorials or tributes will be shared as they become available.

With appreciation and respect,
The Journal of Public Relations Education Editorial Team

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 10, Issue 2

Letter from the Editor

Adrienne A. Wallace
Associate Professor
Grand Valley State University
Editor-in-Chief Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu

The 10-2 issue is all about the student experience. Following the Commission of Public Relations Education (CPRE) issue in 10-1, wherein we examined expectations of a complicated and growing field, we look at not just how students will succeed in the industry but rather their experience and perspective in getting to the finish line of the undergrad experience, using the classroom as a laboratory.

This issue addresses courageous methods with Madden & Guastaferro lending brave insight into the emotional toll that students endure when working with sensitive topics. In fact, their findings show us that students found this topic motivating and meaningful in providing support to victims. I’m grateful for Madden & Guastaferro bringing these issues and advice to light so as to help other PR professors understand how to more effectively integrate trauma-informed practices into campaign courses. We can’t avoid commonly stigmatized issues for the sake of our own comfort in classrooms, we must remain vigilant and maybe even, comfortably uncomfortable in order to improve outcomes related to all matters of communication with all people. I hope you find this article as moving and helpful as I did.

Then, Weed & Nye reveal an additional aspect of student satisfaction using extracurricular activities through PRSSA as a model for maximizing leadership potential and their knowledge, skills, abilities, and traits (KSATs) – building upon the last two CPRE reports. They recommend to maximize these KSATs that PRSSA should be structured within a for-credit curricular design to enhance career preparedness in the student experience. This left me thinking about the potential that exists for high-impact practices and experiential learning crossovers in my own curriculum and asking the question, am I advocating enough for my own PRSSA chapter?

This takes us to the role of technology in this experience discussion, which Lim and Place address in the use of technological tools and responsible use in public relations with our final article and GIFT. In these final pieces, Lim reveals, that college students anticipate professors to incorporate ChatGPT into many course materials rather than prohibiting its use. This study highlights that ChatGPT is a powerful PR tool that can be used by colleges to improve their public relations efforts in a number of ways, from classroom to campus-wide innovation. I appreciated this article and timing as my own university and unit wrestle with policymaking and educational practices surrounding emerging tech in the classroom and campus.

As luck would have it, Place provides us with a solution to the implementation of this looming issue in our classrooms in her award-winning GIFT from the PRSA Educators Academy Summit in 2022. This assignment has miraculously stood the test of tech time and is structured to empower, enable, and embolden students to apply ethical and legal theory in PR to practice by way of a policy writing assignment. Really turning the student into an expert to engage as counsel and “ethical guardians” in the field; furthering a confident student through this classroom experience. Our educators in this issue have effectively transformed wicked problems into practical and professional solutions. I’m so proud of the work we do at JPRE, and I hope our scholars inspire your own practice.

Adrienne A. Wallace
Editor-in-Chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Editor
Adrienne A. Wallace

ARTICLES

“Public Relations Isn’t All Rainbows and Butterflies”: Student Experiences in Developing a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Campaign
Stephanie Madden and Kate Guastaferro

Making PRSSA Leadership Work for Students: Role Satisfaction, Educational Success, and Career Readiness for the PR Profession
Amanda J. Weed and Lauren Nye

Revolutionizing Campus Communications: The Power of ChatGPT in Public Relations
Young Joon Lim

TEACHING BRIEF/GIFT

Organizational Web and Social Media Ethics Policies
Katie R. Place

BOOK REVIEWS

Research Perspectives on Social Media Influencers and Brand Communication
Melissa A. Goodson

On Deadline: Managing Media Relations (6th Ed.)
Kristen Heflin

Read the Full Issue:

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A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 10, Issue 1

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Note from the Editors

Adrienne A. Wallace
Associate Professor
Grand Valley State University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu

Elizabeth L. Toth
Professor Emerita
University of Maryland
Co-Editor, CPRE 2023 Report
Email: eltoth@umd.edu

Pamela Bourland-Davis
Professor
Georgia Southern University
Co-Editor, CPRE 2023 Report
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

As the incoming editor of the Journal of Public Relations Education, I’ve been absolutely blown away and, frankly, dazzled by the dedication and talents of an all-volunteer team. Where else in the academy does one find an open-access journal run 100% on the time, talent, and treasure of volunteers? Are we crazy? Passionate? Both? Maybe. Anyway, I’m here for it and so are you! If you are so inclined to drop a note of thanks to our esteemed volunteers, you can find a listing of the full executive editorial board and editorial review board at this link.

JPRE welcomes the following members to the executive editorial board of directors:

Senior Associate Editor – Christopher McCollough, Ph.D., Jacksonville State University
Associate Editor – Style – Luke Capizzo, Ph.D., APR, University of Missouri 
Associate Editor – Style – LaShonda L. Eaddy, Ph.D., APR, Penn State University
Associate Editor – Layout Design & Web – Amanda J. Weed, Ph.D., APR, Kennesaw State University
Assistant Editor – Layout Design – Haley Higgs, Ph.D., Georgia Southern University
Associate Editor – Book/Resource Reviews – Jiun-Yi (Jenny) Tsai, Ph.D., Northern Arizona University
Assistant Editor – Digital Media – Kate Stewart., Jacksonville State University

It’s my pleasure to thank Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis for her endless support and enthusiasm for the growth and forward progress of this journal. As just the fourth editor in the journal’s history, it’s not lost on me that JPRE would not be the success it is without the legacy support of the past editors Pamela Bourland-Davis, Emily Kinsky, and Chuck Lubbers and critical support from Tiffany Gallicano. These esteemed scholars form the past editors’ council of JPRE – the foundation and backbone of the journal.     

With each new editor, great strides have been made throughout JPRE’s history. As such, I’m pleased to announce the first marks that the incoming executive editorial board has made on the journal, starting with this issue:

  • We have updated each publication entry to simplify the process and improve website navigation, page loading time, and search. This will allow us to capitalize on precious volunteer hours as well as end keyword cannibalization and “keyword stuffing” of articles published as both a “blog style” post and a PDF on the same site. The appearance might change over time as we find out what is working and what is not working for the journal for search.
  • Sponsorship from the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin will create the Moody College of Communication Quality Reviewer Award with a cash prize to be awarded in August.
  • Sponsorship from The Arthur W. Page Center establishes the Page Center Ethics in PR Pedagogy Award with a cash prize – to be awarded in August. 
  • Due to generous sponsorships from Moody College and the Page Center, JPRE will pursue CrossRef/DOI supplier registration and SCOPUS database participation to expand the journal’s footprint and impact. 

As you can see, this good work cannot be maintained without donor aid. If you are interested in supporting JPRE financially, please message me (jpre@gvsu.edu) for a specialized sponsorship package.

Finally, those of you who attended the November event celebrating 50 years of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) understand the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the 2023 CPRE report, Navigating Change. It’s my pleasure to present the guest editor commentary for special issue 10-1 below. This issue is a dynamic partner in implementing the report findings into our classrooms. Thank you to Pamela Bourland-Davis and Elizabeth Toth for their insight and lift in bringing this special issue to publication so swiftly.

Adrienne A. Wallace
Editor in Chief
Journal of Public Relations Education

The 2023 Commission on Public Relations Education report, Navigating Change: Recommendations for Advancing Undergraduate Public Relations Education, was published in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Commission. An 18-month process, the report emerged from crowdsourcing what practitioners and educators felt were the most critical topics for public relations, especially as we emerged from a global pandemic, and a myriad of other social and political issues. The result was a report focused on key elements related to the status of education, repeating key items from previous CPRE studies; the future of the workplace; critical strategic thinking; data
insights and strategy; ethics; DEI; and, PR as a driver of social change.

Each of these topics was addressed via questions on an omnibus-style quantitative survey, “Page Conversations,” and through secondary research. The key findings are detailed in the report, along with recommendations – largely focused on educators. This issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education provides a deeper dive into some of the data, which was largely descriptive in the report. It also provides teaching suggestions to integrate the findings in the classroom.

Specifically, in this issue you’ll find additional information on the KSAs and hiring preferences as seen by practitioners versus educators, along with the differences between U.S. and international curriculum based on the respondents. Future of the workplace team members considered whether current job ads reflect the interests of Gen Z, the primary future employee workforce. Additional data insight and application in the classroom are offered through reports on critical strategic thinking and ethics. And finally, a classroom assignment based on one of the DEI recommendations is offered.

Because of the richness of the data, and the reported importance of these topics, we anticipate you’ll see additional publications and presentations emerging from the CPRE report in the future. The 2023 Report, Navigating Change, gives the most current thinking by experts. It also has a wealth of additional resources to learn how the seven-chapter topics are refining public relations knowledge. Here’s the link to the full report, the executive summary, and a student guide: https://www.commissionpred.org/navigating-change-report/

We walked away from this project concluding that undergraduate public relations education has made significant progress in establishing the educational foundations. At the same time, it would appear that we are seeing higher-than-ever expectations of our graduates from the public relations industry. The choice of topics included in the report implies that what is needed from future employees will be to think wholistically about how to create effective relationships for their employers within rapidly changing social and global expectations.

Elizabeth L. Toth, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA
Professor Emerita, CPRE 2023 Report Co-Editor

Pamela Bourland-Davis, Ph.D.
Professor, CPRE 2023 Report Co-Editor

Table of Contents

Editor’s Note
Adrienne A. Wallace, Elizabeth L. Toth, and Pamela Bourland-Davis

Articles

CPRE Study: Educator/Practitioner Perceptions of Student Preparation and International Comparisons of the Six-Course Standard
Hongmei Shen, Pamela Bourland-Davis, and Elizabeth L. Toth

Are We Speaking Their Language: The Presence of Content Important to Gen Z in Entry-Level PR Job Advertisements
Charles A. Lubbers, Debbie Davis, Amiso George, Morgan Still, and Victoria Bacon

Teaching Critical Strategic Thinking Model for Teaching the Public Relations Process
Ken Plowman, Anna Klyueva, Hongmei Shen, Christopher Wilson, and Elina Erzikova

Identifying & Addressing Gaps in Public Relations Ethics Education
Marlene S. Neill, Shannon A. Bowen, and Denise Bortree

Teaching Brief

Actualizing the DEI Mission in Public Relations Classrooms
Rosalynn A. Vasquez, Nneka Logan, Hilary Fussell Sisco, and Katie Place

Read the full issue here:

JPRE_101_FullIssue_FinalDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 9, Issue 3

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Special Issue

The GIFT Exchange: Innovative Assignments to Build Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Traits for Career Success

Note from the Editors:

Adrienne A. Wallace
Associate Professor
School of Communications
Grand Valley State University
Guest Editor
Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu

Amanda J. Weed
Assistant Professor
School of Communication & Media
Kennesaw State University
Guest Editor
Email: aweed2@kennesaw.edu

The GIFT (Great Idea for Teaching) concept is simple — providing instructors with tangible resources to implement innovative class assignments and activities to support student success. In 2022, we had a casual conversation at the AEJMC conference about the growing popularity of GIFTs at conferences but noted that there were few publication outlets where this pedagogical scholarship could be published. From this conversation emerged “The GIFT Exchange,” a special issue devoted to GIFTs that features classroom assignments, activities, and projects that develop unique knowledge, skills, abilities, and traits (KSATs) that are most desired of emerging public relations practitioners.

We approached the call for this special issue in two unique ways. First, we aligned our call with the results of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) report “Fast Forward: Foundations + Future State. Educators + Practitioners” (2018). This public relations education report identified unique KSATs identified by educators and practitioners as most desired by entry-level employees in the field of public relations (see Table 1). Over the past three comprehensive state-of-education reports (and a fourth that launched while this issue was in production), certain KSATs such as writing and ethics consistently rank at the top for entry-level public relations practitioners. The purpose of this issue was to provide a showcase for innovative GIFTs that directly align student learning outcomes with the most-desired KSATs identified by CPRE.

Table 1

CPRE “Fast Forward” KSATs that PR Practioners Agree Entry-Level PR Practitioners Should Have

a 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree

b Number of respondents noted in open-ended questions

The second unique contribution of “The GIFT Exchange” was the development of a standardized and comprehensive format for GIFT submissions. The purpose of this robust set of submission requirements was for JPRE readers to easily understand the scope of the GIFT, its pedagogical objectives and outcomes, and guidance for successful implementation of the GIFT in their own classes. Each GIFT includes:

  • An overview that describes how it integrates the most-desired KSATs and evidence of learning outcomes
  • A template assignment guide
  • A description of grading criteria or rubric
  • A teaching note that provides information and resources to implement the GIFT

We are thrilled with the positive response to this call with a record 19 submissions to the special issue (including several first-time submitters). We hope this call can act as a first step in creating a standard GIFT model that complements other forms of pedagogical research.

Contributions to the Special Issue

In this issue, we are pleased to offer a curated collection of eight GIFTs in this issue that address several KSATs identified by CPRE. While each GIFT addresses multiple KSATs identified by CPRE, we organized this issue by key themes: writing, media relations, audio/video production, ethics, and crisis management.

We lead this issue with two GIFTs that develop students’ writing skills. “Social Advocacy Statement Writing for Entry-Level Public Relations Practitioners” by Lee, for which students write a social organizational social issue statement to learn about corporate social advocacy, and “Generative AI in the Classroom: Teaching a Critical Skill for the Public Relations Writing Student” by Ryan explores how to effectively use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to improve student outcomes in writing assignments.

Media relations is the focus of the third GIFT “Inoculating Vaccine Disinformation: A Digital Media Kit Exercise” by Bradshaw. This GIFT describes a real-time class activity that tasks student teams to create a digital media kit to promote influenza vaccine participation.

The fourth GIFT, “Express Yourself: Developing Creative Storytelling Skills” by Kinksy and Gallicano shares how to teach storytelling skills through multimedia production using Adobe Express.

Ethics is featured in our fifth and sixth GIFTs. Kleinmann’s “The Quiet Place Journal: Reflective Learning to Bridge the Gap Between Ethical Concepts and Practice” facilitates students’ understanding of ethical literacy and decision-making through reflective journaling activities and “Infusing Real-world Social Issues and Ethics into Research Methods Instruction” by Gray and Thompson explores the ethical practice of research to address inequities during societal disruptions.

The final two GIFTs surround crisis management. “Implementing Sequential Assignments and Media Training Guidelines to Crisis Communication: Case Study and Press Conference Simulation” by Yook shares a two-part assignment where students write a crisis communication case study that is subsequently used to plan a press conference using media training guidelines and finally, Gallicano develops students’ understanding of crisis management from a cultural perspective in “Spilt Milk: Navigating a Response to a Moral Dilemma.”

Acknowledgments

Special issues take a scholarly village to produce, often requiring additional reviewers and an expedited timeline for success. Our volunteers were up for the task, and we are grateful for their efforts in bringing

“The GIFT Exchange” from a pre-conference idea to publication. Their valuable insights, constructive feedback, and thorough reviews were crucial in aiding authors to refine and enhance their contributions. We are deeply grateful for the chance to work on this issue regarding pedagogy and extend our sincere thanks to everyone who supported it with their submissions and curiosity. Most importantly, our profound gratitude is extended to Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis, Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Public Relations Education, and her editorial team. Their support and guidance were essential in making this special issue possible.

Reference

Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE). (2018). Fast forward: Foundations + future state. Educators + practice. http://www.commissionpred.org/commission-reports/fast-forward-foundations-future-state-educators-practitioners/

Table of Contents

Great Ideas for Teaching (GIFTS)

Writing

Social Advocacy Statement Writing for Entry-Level Public Relations Practitioners
Ejae Lee

Generative AI in the Classroom: Teaching a Critical Skill for the PR Writing Student
Steve Ryan

Media Relations

Inoculating Vaccine Disinformation: A Digital Media Kit Exercise
Amanda Bradshaw

Storytelling

Express Yourself: Developing Creative Storytelling
Emily S. Kinsky and Tiffany Derville Gallicano

Ethics

The Perspectives Quiet Place Journal: Reflective Learning to Bridge the Gap Between Ethical Concepts and Practice
Christie Kleinmann

Infusing Real-world Social Issues and Ethics into Research Methods
Instruction
Jasmine Gray and Jacob Thompson

Crisis Management

A Sequential Approach in Crisis Communication: Integrating Case Study, Press Conference Simulation, and Media Training Guidelines
Bora Yook

Spilt Milk: Navigating a Response to a Moral Dilemma
Tiffany Derville Gallicano

Read the full issue here:

JPRE_93_FullIssue_PDFDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 9, Issue 2

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Note from the Editor:

JPRE Editor

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

Reflecting on the last three years of my editorship, we’ve seen the addition of a number of special issues addressing relevance in what we teach. The special issues related to leadership and diversity and activism, in particular, connect directly with key topics in the recently released Commission for Public Relations Education 2023 report, the subject of a special issue for 2024 where you’ll find more in-depth analyses and topics related to the report. We also have enjoyed perspectives from international authors, which, I hope, continues to grow.

As editor, I have, naturally, paid close attention to each and every article and have found them especially helpful as I transitioned from department chair back to full-time faculty. This JPRE issue is no different in presenting a number of topics of relevance to classes you teach, including APA style in the class, social media, and ethics. Of contemporary concern are two GIFTS integrating AI into the class.

Outside of good ideas for the classroom, JPRE provides a leading role in research on topics of academic interest – whether macroscopic perspectives of programs or microscopic analyses of particular skills and their applications. I’ve been honored to play a supporting role for the journal, continuing the contributions of past editors Chuck Lubbers and Emily Kinsky. I look forward to the editorship of Adrienne Wallace, editor for 2024-26.

Table of Contents

Article

Dewey and Social Media: Using a Pragmatic Approach to Designing a Foundational Public Relations Social Media Communication Course
Heather Riddell and Amanda Bradshaw

Teaching Brief

Incorporating Virtue Ethics in Public Relations Ethics Education: Lessons from a Standalone Public Relations Ethics Course
Xiaochen Angela Zhang

Top GIFTS

Challenging AI in the PR Classroom
Erika J. Schneider

APA Style: The Game
Lindsey A. Sherrill

ChatGPT in the Classroom: Using the Latest Technology to Explore Innovation and Ethics
Kelly Bruhn, Amy McCoy, Chris Snider, Ryan Stoldt and Jennifer Wilson

Mastering the Art of Brand Storytelling
Nicole O’Donnell

Design Crowdsourcing Social Media Campaigns for a Flood-Impacted City
Sumin Fang

Book Reviews

Cases in Public Relations: Translating Ethics into Action
Reviewed by Sarah Maben

The Untold Power: Underrepresented Groups in Public Relations
Reviewed by Yeonsoo Kim

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-9.2-Full-IssueDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 9, Issue 1

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Note from the Editor:

JPRE Editor

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

Issue 9-1 features articles related to those who have vested interests in our programs: the students, the professors and practitioners. You’ll find two of the top three teaching research papers from the AEJMC Public Relations Division’s conference line up – one discussing the faculty of PR programs (Marks Malone), and the other looking at business literacy based on practitioner viewpoints (Ragas). 

And if you’re like me, facing multiple options of programs and data analytics in the classroom, you’ll find helpful the articles on developing data competency (O’Neil, Kinsky, Ewing & Russell), graphic design options for building self-confidence (Pressgrove & Kinsky), and Python as an option for social media analytics (Kim & Chon). Managing service-learning collaborations builds on the experience of the professors and students, and includes consideration of technology as part of the process (Maresh-Fuehrer & Baum).

Table of Contents

Articles

“You don’t have to become a data scientist”: Practitioner Recommendations for Cultivating PR Student Data Competency
Julie O’Neil, Emily S. Kinsky, Michele E. Ewing, and Maria Russell

Unapologetically Original: Building Creative Self-Confidence in the Public Relations Curriculum
Geah Pressgrove and Emily S. Kinsky

Top PRD Papers

Who’s Teaching Future PR Professionals? Exploring Professional Credentials of Full-Time Faculty in Accredited Programs
Kim Marks Malone

Developing Business Literacy in the Classroom and the Workplace: A Delphi Study of Corporate Communication Leaders
Matthew Ragas

Teaching Briefs

Teaching Social Media Analytics in PR Classes: Focusing on the Python Program
Seon-Woo Kim & Myoung-Gi Chon

Inter-Institutional Service-Learning Collaborations in a Remote Environment: A Case Study
Michelle M. Maresh-Fuehrer and Michelle Baum

Book Reviews

You Need PR: An Approachable Guide to Public Relations for Early-Stage Companies
Reviewed by Lois Boynton

The Public Relations Writer’s Handbook
Reviewed by Pauline A. Howes

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-9.1-full-issueDownload

publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2023 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 8, Issue 4

Special Issue on Leadership, Mentorship and DEI in the Post-Pandemic Public Relations Classroom

Note from the Guest Editor:

Juan Meng, Ph.D.
Head & Associate Professor
Department of Advertising and Public Relations
Grady College Journalism and Mass Communication
University of Georgia
Email: jmeng@uga.edu

Nilanjana Bardhan, Ph.D.
Professor
Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Email: bardhan@siu.edu

Introduction
The world changed in 2020 in unprecedented ways. In the United States, the combined impact of COVID-19 and the racial unrest following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery left us reeling with regards to questions of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and in our societal institutions, including higher education. Discourse on public relations education and DEI peaked. This watershed year witnessed numerous webinars, conversations and discussions sponsored by our profession’s organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America, the Institute for Public Relations, and the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, all of which queried with renewed vigor on how well we are preparing our students to be racial-justice-oriented and DEI-minded public relations professionals as they transition from college to the industry. This was the moment when we approached the Journal of Public Relations Education with the idea of this special issue. 

Rationale for the Special Issue
As educators and scholars, we believe leadership and mentorship are especially important during times of upheaval, uncertainty and radical change. Educators and students are grappling with new pedagogical challenges, and we need scholarship that can aid in navigating these challenges and discovering opportunities (Bardhan & Gower, 2020). As editors of this special issue, we hope the research articles and teaching brief collected in this volume address the pressing need to make DEI an integral part of public relations education as emphasized by the Commission on Public Relations Education (Mundy et al., 2018). We also hope the broad range of perspectives and solutions offered in the articles collected in this special issue will aid in deepening our understanding of and the discussion on the intersections of leadership and mentorship in fostering DEI in public relations education. 

It is hard to argue against the proposition that it is difficult for progress to occur in the domain of DEI without committed leadership and stellar mentorship. With regards to public relations education, this means that both students and educators need to understand this crucial relationship between DEI, leadership and mentorship in public relations pedagogy and learning environments. Meng (2013, 2015) has already emphasized that educators play a critical and instructive role in enhancing students’ competitive advantage by incorporating leadership content and training into undergraduate curriculum. In addition, Bardhan and Gower (2020) also addressed the need for public relations educators to lead efforts to advance DEI in education by diversifying curriculum, enhancing inclusive learning environments, and advocating for structural change for DEI-centered pedagogy. The events of 2020 compelled us to weave together both these emphases of DEI and leadership and add the layer of mentorship. We wove in these layers into our call, which encouraged submissions addressing both the challenges and the opportunities in the DEI-Leadership-Mentorship mix in the domain of public relations education. Some key questions were asked as we launched the special issue call:

  • What are the current practice, challenges and opportunities associated with enhancing public relations education at the intersections of leadership, mentorship, and DEI?
  • What kinds of pedagogical, theoretical and practical implications and recommendations can we offer educators in empowering them to foster DEI in public relations education by jointly engaging leadership and mentorship in teaching and training?
  • What are the best practices and resources that aid in teaching public relations at the intersections of leadership, mentorship and DEI?
  • What are some innovative approaches and strategies to connect educators, practitioners and students to enhance public relations pedagogy by integrating the critical thinking and discussion of leadership, mentorship and DEI?

Contribution of the Special Issue
This special issue, Leadership, Mentorship and DEI in the Post-Pandemic Public Relations Classroom, strives to address the above questions. We are pleased to offer our readers a collection of seven articles, which includes six original research articles and one teaching brief. This collection offers a variety of perspectives on exploring both the challenges and opportunities for public relations pedagogy focusing on leadership and mentorship and how the mix could foster a more diverse, equal and inclusive environment in the post-pandemic public relations classroom. 

This issue is organized into three sections, which reflect the complexities of the intersections of leadership, mentorship and DEI in public relations education. The first section, Current Practices and Challenges of DEI in Public Relations Education and the Need for Self-Reflection and Mentorship, includes three articles addressing the broad landscape of public relations pedagogy at the intersections of leadership, mentorship and DEI. 

The first article titled “Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Public Relations Classroom: Current Practices of Public Relations Educators,” contributed by Shana Meganck and Yeonsoo Kim, provides an overview of the changing higher education landscape in addressing the DEI efforts from multiple perspectives (e.g., recruitment, admissions, climate, curriculum, research, strategic planning, administrative structures, etc.). The study focuses on investigating the pedagogical approaches adapted by public relations educators to integrate DEI practices in the public relations classroom through a self-administered online survey. To provide a snapshot of the current DEI practice in public relations education, the authors reviewed structural elements of courses in public relations curriculum such as value statements and policies in course materials, course objectives and learning outcomes, assignments and course evaluations and investigated how those pedagogical approaches are integrated into public relations education to support DEI in the classroom. The results of the survey indicate that educators are performing better when it comes to practicing DEI pedagogical approaches and that they need to work harder at including clearer DEI structural elements.

The second contribution, titled “Self-Reflection is the Engine that Drives, Grows and Sustains DE&I among Leaders, Mentors and Public Relations Educators and Professionals,” by Bruce K. Berger and Elina Erzikova, offers a critical perspective on examining the relationship between meaningful self-reflection and its underestimated function in navigating DEI challenges and unexpected situations. The authors designed and carried out a three-phase comprehensive research project in the past four years (i.e., self-reflection interviews with 30 PR leaders, a content analysis of educator blogs, articles, and websites addressing self-reflection skills, and surveys of PR educators and focus groups with PR students). Based on the results, the authors argue that educators and professionals in public relations must practice meaningful self-reflection to not only grow but also sustain DEI in public relations. More significantly, the authors provide a practical six-step strategic self-reflection process that can be taught and practiced in the classroom. From the perspective of leadership development, the authors argue that self-reflection is the foundation for continuous improvement in public relations leadership, mentorship, education, and practice. 

In the third article in this section, titled “Cross the Stage: Underrepresented Students’ Challenges and Mentoring Needs in Strategic Communication Programs,” Jiun-Yi Tsai, Janice Sweeter, and Amy Hitt focus on investigating the challenges encountered by underrepresented students in public relations programs in college education. The authors conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with students who self-identify as first generation, Hispanic/Latinx, or Black/African American college students majoring in strategic communication. Their research offers insights on the importance of mentorship support from faculty to help underrepresented students build resilience. The research results also mention that identity-based clubs and classroom peer relationships could foster relational connections that support underrepresented students. 

The second section of this special issue, Curriculum Innovation and Accreditation Standards in Public Relations DEI Pedagogy, features two contributions addressing innovative pedagogical approaches in public relations curriculum. The first article contributed by Lee Bush and Vanessa Bravo, titled “Systematically Applying DEI Accreditation Standards to a Strategic Communication Curriculum,” shares the authors’ experience in leading a new initiative to research, develop, and test modules to achieve DEI learning outcomes in their strategic communication courses as an effort to meet the new guidelines for diversity and inclusion approved by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). The reflective results showed that it is important to integrate DEI into curriculum in a more systematic way. The assessment results of what worked and what did not provide important pedagogical suggestions to public relations educators for developing a DEI-focused curriculum.

Leadership, mentorship and DEI can intersect in extracurricular spaces and learning environments inhabited by public relations students, and this is demonstrated in practical detail in the second article in this section, titled “Student-led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education in Public Relations: PRSSA as a Space for Teaching and Learning.” Authors Arshia Anwer and Timmy Kwong describe how the student leadership of a Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter at a private liberal arts college in the United States took the initiative to enhance its DEI vision, action and pedagogy during the watershed events of 2020. By inviting multiple DEI focused guest speakers, conducting a survey that gauged chapter members’ interest in DEI issues, recruiting diverse students to the chapter from across campus, and nominating its VP for DEI for a PR News Social Impact Award, this chapter sets an example for other PRSSA chapters to emulate.

The third section of this special issue, Teaching Cases for Exploring DEI Complexities in Public Relations Education, is composed of two contributions that center on incorporating inclusivity and cultural sensitivity into public relations campaigns courses. In the article, titled “Shaping Tomorrow’s Industry Leaders by Incorporating Inclusivity into Campaign Planning Curriculum: Student Reactions to the SMART+IE Mindset in Strategic Communication Efforts,” Richard D. Waters and Tricia M. Farwell present an innovative teaching activity that demonstrates how students can be pedagogically engaged to discuss the nuances of DEI in campaign planning and strategic communication. By incorporating hypothetical case studies that include DEI complexities and teaching students how to lead in DEI communication, this pedagogical innovation emphasizes the importance of inclusive communication.  The authors share not just the case study and its DEI pedagogy value, but also describe how students who worked on this case in classes responded to it and what they learned from it about themselves and about the role of DEI in strategic communication.  Additionally, the authors reflect on their own experience, as educators, of including this DEI case study in their classes.

The last contribution in this edited issue is a teaching brief, titled “Eco-Tourism Campaigns as a Framework for Global PR Course.” The authors, Nandini Bhalla and Arien Rozelle, address diversity education at the international level and argue for the importance of helping students build cultural sensitivity and equality in the public relations classroom. Their teaching brief provides scenarios for public relations educators to consider and adopt when helping students understand cultural and structural differences in an international context. 

Overall, the research articles and teaching brief collected in this special issue present a wide range of perspectives on understanding the intersections of leadership, mentorship and DEI in public relations education. We could not locate any research that addressed the intersections of DEI, leadership and mentorship in public relations education when we sent out the call for this special issue. Now we are pleased to state that this is no longer the case. The intersectionality nature of the topics present the complexity at multiple dimensions such as the practical, the pedagogical and the theoretical levels. It is our sincere hope that the articles in this special issue will serve as a springboard for further scholarship on this critical intersection in public relations pedagogy. 

Acknowledgments
It has truly been an honor to have had the opportunity to work on this issue and we would like to thank all those who supported it by sending in submissions. We would especially like to thank our team of reviewers with expertise on this topic. We could not have published this issue without their valuable insights, constructive feedback, comments and suggestions, and overall solid reviews to help the authors revise and improve their research and writings. Finally and most importantly, our heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis, Editor of the Journal of Public Relations Education and her editorial team for offering the opportunity to edit this special issue. It would have been impossible to produce this special issue without their encouragement and guidance throughout the process. 

References

Bardhan, N., & Gower, K. (2020). Student and faculty/educator views on diversity and inclusion in public relations: The role of leaders in bringing about change. Journal of Public Relations Education, 6(2), 102-141. Available at https://aejmc.us/jpre/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2020/08/PDF-of-Bardhan-and-Gower-2020-from-JPRE-6.2-1.pdf

Meng, J. (2013). Learning by leading: Integrating leadership in public relations education for an enhanced value. Public Relations Review, 39(5), 609-611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2013.09.005

Meng, J. (2015). Integrating leadership in public relations education to develop future leaders. Journal of Public Relations Education, 1(1), 31-37. Available at https://aejmc.us/jpre/2015/08/04/integrating-leadership-in-public-relations-education-to-develop-future-leaders/

Mundy, D., Lewton, K., Hicks, A., & Neptune, T. (2018). Diversity: An imperative commitment for educators and practitioners. In Fast Forward: The 2017 Report on undergraduate public relations education (pp. 139-148). Commission on Public Relations Education. Available at: http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/report6-full.pdf 

Table of Contents

Research Articles

Section I: Current Practices and Challenges of DEI in Public Relations Education and the Need for Self-Reflection and Mentorship

Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Public Relations Classroom: Current Practices of Public Relations Educators
Shana Meganck and Yeonsoo Kim

Self-Reflection is the Engine that Drives, Grows and Sustains DE&I among Leaders, Mentors and Public Relations Educators and Professionals
Bruce K. Berger and Elina Erzikova

Cross the Stage: Underrepresented Students’ Challenges and Mentoring Needs in Strategic Communication Programs
Jiun-Yi Tsai, Janice Sweeter, and Amy Hitt

Section II: Curriculum Innovation and Accreditation Standards in Public Relations DEI Pedagogy

Systematically Applying DEI Accreditation Standards to a Strategic Communication Curriculum
Lee Bush and Vanessa Bravo

Student-led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education in Public Relations: PRSSA as a Space for Teaching and Learning
Arshia Anwer and Timmy Kwong

Section III: Teaching Cases for Exploring DEI Complexities in Public Relations Education

Shaping Tomorrow’s Industry Leaders by Incorporating Inclusivity into Campaign Planning Curriculum: Student Reactions to the SMART+IE Mindset in Strategic Communication Efforts
Richard D. Waters and Tricia M. Farwell

Teaching Brief

Eco-Tourism Campaigns as a Framework for Global PR Course
Nandini Bhalla and Arien Rozelle

Read the full issue here:

JPRE_84_Winter2022_FullIssueDownload

Publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2023 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 8, Issue 3

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Note from the Editor:

JPRE Editor

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

I hope this issue of The Journal is as relevant to you as it has been to me. While I’ve connected to every issue, perhaps our first in-person meeting of AEJMC’s Public Relations Division in a couple of years enhanced the relevance. The PRD included a pre-conference special session on ASPIRE – Active Strategies for Pedagogy in Research and Education, featuring the GIFTS, and the top five (presented in order of their rankings) are included here. While we could not feature all of the GIFTS, the authors presented so many great ideas that have inspired me. 

To be honest, I’ve already adapted some of Deline’s work included here. In doing so, I learned much about the student experiences during the pandemic response – including that most were freshmen having to complete core courses on line. I hope to continue to include a variation of the reflection on KSAs as the next group will be the one who missed much of the social side of completing high school.

In the area of pedagogical research, the first article on mentorship provides some feedback on the mentorship program of the PRD. Having signed up to serve as a mentor, I am internalizing the results, and thinking about how I can improve as a mentor. The second article is a good reminder that service learning, specifically fundraising in this case, can have an impact on learning on into the future.

I hope all of these papers and GIFTS are inspirational to you as well, and don’t forget about the special issue focused on GIFTS for next year: 

https://aejmc.us/jpre/2022/09/17/special-issue-call-for-papers-the-gift-exchange/

Table of Contents

Articles

Building Bridges and Relationships Through Balanced Communication: Understanding Psychosocial Factors in Positive Public Relations Mentorship
Melissa Adams, Melanie Formentin and Brigitta R. Brunner

Teaching Philanthropy: How Can Public Relations Courses Prepare Future Fundraisers and Motivate Giving?
Virginia S. Harrison

GIFTs

Research-Evaluate-Create: Developing Multicultural Perspectives and Strategies for Public Relations Visual Communications
Janis Teruggi Page

Crisis Exchange Program
Kalah Kemp and Colleen Palmer

PR in Real Time: A Problem-Based Approach to Generating Engagement and Learning
Matthew P. Taylor

Podcasting PR’s Role in Social Movements
Arien Rozelle

Looking Back, Stepping Forward: COVID-19 KSA Development and Adaptation Assessment for Post-traumatic Growth
Mary Beth Deline

Book Reviews

Social Media and Society: An Introduction to the Mass Media Landscape
Reviewed by Lindsay M. McCluskey

The Future of Feminism in Public Relations and Strategic Communication
Reviewed by Brandi Watkins

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-83-11.14.22-v1Download

publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2022 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 8, Issue 2

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Note from the Special Issue Editors:

Stephanie Madden, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor 
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Penn State
Senior Research Fellow, Arthur W. Page Center
Email: szm962@psu.edu

Stephanie Mahin, Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Management & Corporate Communication
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Email: stephanie_mahin@kenan-flagler.unc.edu

In 2020, the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and the weeks of protest for racial justice that surrounded each event, led a group of public relations scholars and educators in activist public relations to meet on Zoom to discuss how to integrate topics about activism into our classrooms. Many of us felt a deep divide between our activist research interests, our personal commitment to activist causes, and the types of skills-based, corporate-centric content we teach in our public relations courses. While the body of academic literature on the topic of activist public relations grows, we noticed a lack of tangible resources and pedagogical research on how to incorporate activism into public relations education. As our grassroots group compiled resources, we came up with the idea for this special issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education to help bridge the gap, and help other scholars and educators feel less fragmented between their research and teaching interests. We hope you find the articles in this issue useful as a way to incorporate activist topics into core public relations courses such as research, writing, and campaigns, or maybe you will be inspired to create a special topics course.

The issue opens with an article “Centering Activism and Social Justice in Public Relations Education: Critical Communication Pedagogy as an Entryway” by Aghazadeh and Ashby-King that presents critical communication pedagogy (CCP) as a framework to meaningfully include activism in PR curricula and the very dynamics of classroom instruction. In addition to their compelling argument for the importance of integrating social justice and activism into the PR classroom, they offer three concrete strategies on how to do this rooted in CCP’s guiding concepts of identity, power, and social (re)production. These include considering the influence of positionality on communication, student and educator power dynamics, and critiquing discourses and challenging social (re)production.

While the revolution may not be televised, the article, “Called, Committed and Inspiring Activism: How Black PR Guest Speakers Experienced the PR classroom during the COVID-19 and Racial Reckoning Academic Year of 2020/2021” by Del Rosso and Brown suggests a revolution in the classroom. One way to do this is by embracing activist pedagogy, which is about transforming the classroom into a space that decenters privilege and decolonizes curriculum. The authors interviewed Black public relations professionals about their experiences as invited guests and what professors can do to improve them. Four fascinating themes emerged that speak directly to why Black PR experts go into the classroom. The authors provide a useful guide with actionable suggestions for professors to help prepare guest speakers for the classroom experience.

Teaching activism does not have to be emotionally draining or focused only on confrontational tactics. Hou and Wang’s article, “Creativity is the Key: Incorporating Creative Activism to Public Relations Classrooms through Using Creative Pedagogy,” offers creativity as an entry point for the content, design, and delivery of activist public relations education. Seeing the potential for activism as both joyful and fun, rather than only discouraging and negative, may encourage more students to consider how their public relations skills can be used as part of social change movements. For instructors, creative pedagogy also offers ways to revitalize traditional teaching of activist public relations through playfulness, hope, and possibilities. Hou and Wang offer a variety of case studies and participatory activities for integrating creative activism into PR classes.

The fourth article, “Public Interest Communications in the Classroom: Bringing Activism to Public Relations Education” by Chernin and Brunner introduces readers to a newer area of study, Public Interest Communication or PIC. The authors challenge public relations educators to use the PIC framework to disrupt the ways in which communication is taught by moving beyond teaching corporate-focused skills to a curriculum that uses skill-based approaches to mold future activists. For example, the PIC framework offers six tactics that, when used as part of strategic communication, can help drive social change. Additionally, Chernin and Brunner offer specific and timely suggestions for how to incorporate PIC into existing public relations programs.

The two teaching briefs in this issue offer activism-focused assignments that can be easily adopted into the public relations classroom. In her article “Vaccinate Against Hate: Using Activism to Teach Applied PR Research and Theory,” Rozelle provides an in-class activity where students are tasked to develop a recruitment campaign and educational and awareness campaign for the fictional organization Vaccinate Against Hate. Because this activity can be integrated into an introductory public relations course, it offers an easy entry point for students to begin considering the role of public relations in activist causes.

More than ever corporations are expected to take a public stance on social and political issues. Remaining silent can be a sign of indifference. For example, after the murder of George Floyd, corporations offered statements in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement and/or a call to address structural racism. A major criticism of these statements was a lack of action and follow through. In “Beyond Slacktivism: Lessons for Authentic Activist Messages through Public Relations,” Janoske Mclean and Marks Malone offer timely and practical lessons to teach students how to write effective activist statements. Through these lessons, students are encouraged to find the organization’s authentic voice as they identify and practice writing activist statements. Further, this brief offers a lesson on how to respond to positive and negative reactions to corporate activist statements from the public. From navigating through a global pandemic, to parenting a toddler, and having a difficult pregnancy and unexpected early childbirth, our first time editing a journal had its fair share of challenges. A huge thank you to editor Pamela Bourland-Davis (and her editorial team) who worked patiently with us from idea conception to final production of this issue. We are immensely grateful for her kindness and understanding throughout the process. We would also like to thank the reviewers who quickly accepted invitations to review and offered valuable feedback for authors. Through both personal and global challenges, we are extraordinarily proud of this JPRE special issue and hope it jumpstarts conversations about how public relations can and should play a transformative role in society and our role as educators in the process.

Table of Contents

Research Papers

Centering Activism and Social Justice in Public Relations Education: Critical Communication Pedagogy as an Entryway
Sarah A. Aghazadeh and Drew T. Ashby-King

Called, Committed and Inspiring Activism: How Black PR guest speakers experienced the PR classroom during the COVID-19 and Racial Reckoning academic year of 2020/2021
David Brown and Teri Del Rosso

Creativity is key: Using creative pedagogy to incorporate activism in the public relations classroom
Jenny Zhengye Hou and Yi Wang

Public Interest Communications in the Classroom: Bringing Activism to Public Relations Education
Kelly Chernin and Brigitta Brunner

Teaching Briefs

Vaccinate Against Hate: Using Activism to Teach Applied PR Research and Theory
Arien Rozelle

Beyond Slacktivism: Lessons for Authentic Activist Messages through Public Relations
Melissa Janoske McLean and Kim Marks Malone

Book Review

What Does Injustice Have to Do with Me? Engaging Privileged White Students with Social Justice
Reviewed by Karen Lindsey

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-82Download

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2022 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 8, Issue 1

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Note from the Editor:

JPRE Editor

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

Featured in this issue are three articles which all center around different perspectives of public relations programs. The first two focus on alumni and student perspectives, with the students being HBCU students weighing in on their perspectives of graduate programs. The third article examines Ph.D. programs based on a content analysis of publicly available program information, and does so with an eye on moving the graduates into faculty lines.

The teaching briefs, as usual, provide excellent ideas for approaching classes ranging from using an international case study to teach race and cultural sensitivity in public relations, ideas for crisis classes, and a business model for a public relations firm which could be adapted for classes as well.

Our next issue is a special edition focuses on activism, and if you have not seen the call for the fall special issue on mentorship, leadership and DEI, please check it out! These are due the first of June.

https://aejmc.us/jpre/2021/10/13/special-issue-call-for-papers-leadership-mentorship-and-dei-in-the-post-pandemic-public-relations-classroom/

Table of Contents

Research Papers

Public Relations Graduates’ Perceptions of Their Degrees and Careers: A Five-University Survey
Kenneth D. Plowman, John E. Forde, Brad L. Rawlins, Gemma Puglisi & Judy VanSlyke Turk

Exploring HBCU Students’ Interests in Pursuing Graduate Studies in Public Relations and Communication Programs 
Damion Waymer & LaTonya Taylor

A Shortage of Excellence? An Exploratory Study of U.S. Doctoral-level Education in Public Relations
Luke Capizzo, Rosalynn Vasquez & Hyoyeun Jun

Teaching Briefs

Teaching Race and Cultural Sensitivity in Public Relations: The Case of Comic Relief and the Western Savior Ideology
Ashley Holbert & Damion Waymer

Business Literacy and Soft Skills: Proposal-Writing in the Student Firm
Margaret Ritsch

Crisis Response Plan Group Project
Nia Johnson

Crisis and The Queen
Michelle Groover

GIFT

Building Portfolios, Connections and Confidence: How Professors Can Leverage Student Writing Collections to Support Students’ Employment Opportunities
Jennifer Glover Konfrst, Kelly Bruhn & Eric Adae

Book Reviews 

Business Acumen for Strategic Communicators: A Primer
Reviewed by Charles A. Lubbers

Public Relations History: Theory, Practice, and Profession
Reviewed by Christopher McCollough

Social Media: How to Engage, Share, and Connect (4th Ed.)
Reviewed by Adrienne A. Wallace

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-81-3.21.22-updatedDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2022 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 7, Issue 3

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Special Issue: The Unprecedented Upheaval of Public Relations Education

Note from the Editor:

JPRE Editor

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

This particular call for papers related to the impact of COVID-19 on education came at a time when we would not have thought we’d still be in a pandemic response of some version. Special thanks go to Richard Waters, working with Emily Kinsky, in coordinating the call, and the initial work in the curation of the submissions. Their foresight that the pedagogical upheaval might have an impact on future practices was prescient, and so the articles included here are more than capturing a moment of time. In addition to articles discussing campaigns, service learning and PRSSA management, we have an article which describes reflexive-transformative approaches from a university in Australia where flipped learning was already the norm. 

Included in this issue, you will find an invited resources article based on one of the virtual AEJMC PRD presentations from spring of 2021. It reviews a number of options such as apps which would help directly address many of the findings from the articles, and I’m working on my list of which ones to incorporate next term. 

As I am hearing from many of you via social media, we are all still feeling we are working in “catch up” mode. The Journal is no different. While separate from the special issue, you will find our regular book reviews and an article on PRSSA, pre-COVID-19, which was among the last accepted by our previous editor. 

Best wishes for the New Year, and here’s to new ideas we can integrate into our classes.

Table of Contents

Research Articles

Pivot now! Lessons Learned from Moving Public Relations Campaigns Classes Online During the Pandemic in Spring 2020
Melanie Formentin & Giselle A. Auger 

The Pandemic Pivot: How Teachable Moments in a Service-Learning Course Provided an Opportunity for Student Growth
Lois Boynton & Marshéle Carter 

Reflexive transformative approach to student-centered learning: Insights from the frontlines of Australian higher education teaching during COVID-19
Kate Delmo & Natalie Krikowa 

PRSSA During COVID-19: Examining the Challenges and Best Practices of Student Organization Management in an Online World
Amanda J. Weed, Adrienne A. Wallace, Madison Griffin & Karen Freberg 

Thriving in “The New Normal”: Student-Centered Practices, Design, and Tools of Hybrid and Online Learning Environments
Christopher J. McCollough, Rafael “RC” Concepcion, Jamie Ward & Adrienne A. Wallace 

JPRE Editorial Content: 

How to CARE for PRSSA Faculty Advisers: The Impact of Competence, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Equity on Role Satisfaction
Amanda J. Weed, Adrienne A. Wallace, Betsy Emmons & Kate Keib 

Discovering Public Relations: An Introduction to Creative and Strategic Practices 
Reviewed by Tiffany Gallicano 

PR Women with Influence: Breaking Through the Ethical and Leadership Challenges
Reviewed by Katie Place 

Public Relations: Competencies and Practice
Reviewed by David Remund 

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-73-1.11.22Download

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2021 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 7, Issue 2

Note from the Editor:

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

Within this issue, you’ll find three articles which address various aspects of social and digital media within the curriculum. The timing is not the result of a special call for articles, and clearly represents an area of increased interest. I know I’ll be sharing these within my own department as we continue to evaluate our own approaches.

Two articles are, in part, reflective of our times with greater attention to diversity as you’ll see in Pompper & Ertem-Eray’s article on “Reconstructing the PR history time machine,” and of increased concern for our emotional and mental health, as addressed in Madden and Del Rosso’s, “We should have to take therapy classes.” And for those with or considering student-run firms, you’ll find the article on best practices helpful.

Of course, we have three of the top GIFTs selected and presented at AEJMC’s Public Relations Division’s ever-popular teaching panel which will provide creative approaches to how we can continue to develop student’s understanding of and abilities to practice public relations.

Table of Contents

Research Articles

Public Relations Curriculum: A Systematic Examination of Curricular Offerings in Social Media, Digital Media, and Analytics in Accredited Programs
Regina Luttrell, Adrienne Wallace, Christopher McCollough & Jiyoung Lee

Analytics in Public Relations Education: Desired Skills for Digital Communicators
Melissa B. Adams & Nicole M. Lee

Digital Learning: Standards and Best-Practices for Public Relations Education in Undergraduate Research
Carolyn Kim, Keith Quesenberry, Karen Sutherland & Karen Freberg

Student-run agencies best practices: Replicating the professional agency experience to prepare budding practitioners
Jeffery Ranta, Debbie Davis, Lee Bush, Harold Vincent & Wes Fondren

Reconstructing the PR history time machine: Missing women and people of color in introductory textbooks
Donnalyn Pompper & Tugce Ertem-Eray

“We Should Have to Take Therapy Classes”: The Need for a Trauma-Informed Approach to Public Relations Education
Stephanie Madden & Teri Del Rosso

GIFTs:

Pitch Perfect: Secrets of Media Relations
Adrienne Wallace, Jamie Ward, & Regina Luttrell 

A Human-Centered SEO Approach to Creating Higher Ranking Content for Public Relations using a Content Clustering Method
Adrienne Wallace & Regina Luttrell

Teaching audience analysis through worksheets: Approaching audience analysis as qualitative research
Julia Hathaway, Elizabeth Duesterhoeft, Nicole Leavey, Karen Akerlof, Suzanne Mims & Katherine Rowan

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-7.2Download

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2021 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 7, Issue 1

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Note from the Editor:

The first issue of 2021, provides a mix of topics including several articles which address diversity and intercultural competency, indirectly recognizing this continuing, urgent area where pedagogy can be examined and utilized. The issue reflects the work of both the outgoing and incoming editors. 

Dr. Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Editor in Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Immediate Past President, SSCA
Email: pamelagb@georgiasouthern.edu

As the incoming editor for the Journal of Public Relations Education, I’ve learned much – in addition to all the adjustments to teaching and learning in our pandemic-response world. To that end, our immediate past editor, Emily Kinsky, has been a saint – patient, responsive to my seemingly never-ending lists of questions, and, as always, focused on making sure we provide a forum for quality pedagogical research in public relations. 

I’m not sure I can parallel the quantum leaps forward in the journal that she has made such as with adopting the on-line submission services, and that Chuck Lubbers made in kicking off the journal. We’ll try. Any progress we make will be because of the stellar Executive Editorial Board. I am thankful to be able to tap the expertise of board members who joined the journal under Emily’s leadership, with Melissa Janoske McLean now serving as Senior Associate Editor, and with LaShonda Eaddy, Kelly Vibber, and Brandi Watkins continuing in their roles. To the board we added Christopher McCullough as associate editor, helping manage the review process, and Stephanie Mahin, as associate editor of our Book and Resource Reviews. We’ve also created a Past Editors Council to serve as a sounding board as needed. We are also appreciative of our board members, who continue to provide feedback and reviews as well.

Pamela G. Bourland-Davis
Chair & Professor
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University

Table of Contents

Research Articles

An Examination of Student Perceptions of Teacher Social Media Use in the Classroom
by Pamela Jo Brubaker, Diana C. Sisson, Christopher Wilson, &
Ai Zhang

Student Perceptions of Guest Speakers in Strategic Communications Courses
by Hong Ji, Parul Jain, & Catherine Axinn

Taking Experiential Learning to the Next Level With Student-Run Agencies
by Yeonsoo Kim, Shana Meganck, Lars Kristiansen, & Chang Wan Woo

U.S. Students’ Perceptions of International Teaching Assistants in the Public Relations Field
by Tugce Ertem-Eray

Teaching Briefs

A Critical Dialogical Approach to Teaching Public Relations Students Intercultural Competence
by Ran Ju & Dongjing Kang

Captioning Social Media Video
by Lakshmi N. Tirumala & Ed Youngblood

Reflecting on Reflections: Debriefing in Public Relations Campaign Classes
by Tom Vizcarrondo

Top PRSA-EA GIFT

Shifting the Paradigm – Improving Student Awareness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts Through Public Relations Campaigns
by Regina M. Luttrell & Adrienne A. Wallace

Book & Resource Reviews

Marilyn: A Woman In Charge Reviewed
Reviewed by LaShonda L. Eaddy

Carter G. Woodson: History, The Black Press and Public Relations
Reviewed by George L. Daniels

Rethinking Public Relations: Persuasion, Democracy and Society (3rd edition)
Reviewed by Giselle A. Auger

Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
Reviewed by Kristina Markos

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-7-1Download

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
© 2021 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 6, Issue 3

Special Issue on PR Ethics Education

Note from the Guest Editor:

Denise Sevick Bortree, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Dean
Bellisario College of Communications
Penn State University
Guest Editor, Journal of Public Relations Education,
PR Ethics Special Issue
Email: dsb177@psu.edu

December 14, 2020

In October 2019, the Commission on Public Relations Education issued its Ethics Education Report with suggestions for creating a required ethics course as recommended in the Commission’s earlier report Fast Forward: Foundations and Future State: Educators and Practitioners. The Ethics Education Report offered a new course proposal, student learning outcomes, course content, essential skills/knowledge/abilities, online resources, and sample syllabi. What it lacked were practical assignments and real-world application that might be useful for faculty who wish to build a new ethics course. This special issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education was created to help fill the gap and strengthen the arguments for the need for public relations ethics education internationally. The issue includes research articles examining the current state of ethics education and teaching briefs sharing practical ideas that can be adopted into curriculum, as well as a book review of a recently published ethics textbook. I hope you find the material here useful as you consider how you might develop a new course or strengthen the current ethics curriculum in your program.

The issue opens with an article “Accreditation, Curriculum, and Ethics: Exploring the Public Relations Education Landscape” by Del Rosso, Haught, and Marks Malone that examines programs certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for the Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) and also accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Not surprisingly, it finds that few were requiring ethics courses at the time of data collection, and this benchmarking study will help us see how the addition of a new requirement for an ethics course will change the curriculum of these programs and others.

The second article, “Public Relations Education in Singapore: Educating the Next Generation of Practitioners on Ethics” by Woon and Pang, examines the current state of ethics education in an international setting, comparing foreign and local programs in Singapore. It offers insights into the ways that programs are preparing future practitioners in the region.

The three teaching briefs in this issue offer ethics assignments that can be easily adopted into the public relations classroom. In their article “PR Ethics Literacy: Identifying Moral and Ethical Values Through Purposeful Ethical Education,” authors Ward, Luttrell, and Wallace detail the application of a case study to teach ethical decision-making. They offer a model for decision-making and a step-by-step process to help students think through the issues and reflect on their decisions.

Along a similar line, Kim shares assignments and rubrics for three activities used in a graduate program in Australia to strengthen students’ ethical decision-making skills. In the article “Finding a Linkage Between Becoming an Ethical Practitioner and Making an Organization Socially Responsible,” the author discusses the benefits and challenges of the assignments in helping students improve their ethics abilities.

The special issue teaching briefs wrap up with a recommendation for a fun activity in Rozelle’s “PR Ethics: An Interactive Adventure” adopting the concept from children’s books that allow readers to choose their next steps and see the resulting consequences.

Thank you to current (and outgoing) editor Emily Kinsky who worked patiently with me over the summer and through the fall as I, and a number of the article authors, battled COVID-19 related challenges. A special thank you to the reviewers who quickly accepted my invitations to review and offered useful feedback for authors to help improve the relevance of the work here. It has been an unusual year, and I am pleased that we were able to keep the conversation about ethics education moving forward despite the many global challenges we faced this year. I hope you enjoy the special issue.

Denise Sevick Bortree
Professor and Associate Dean
Bellisario College of Communications, Penn State University

Bortree, D.S., Bowen, S.A., Gower, K., Larsen, N. Neill, M., Silverman, D., & Sriramesh, K. (2019). Ethics education report. Commission on Public Relations Education. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Ethics-Education-Report-to-Toth-Phair-10-14-19.pdf 

Commission on Public Relations Education. (2018). Fast forward: Foundations + future state. Educators + practitioners: The Commission on Public Relations Education 2017 report on undergraduate education. http://www.commissionpred.org/commission-reports/fast-forward-foundations-future-state-educators-practitioners/

Table of Contents

Research Articles

Accreditation, Curriculum, and Ethics: Exploring the Public Relations Education Landscape
by Teri Del Rosso, Matthew J. Haught, & Kimberly S. Marks Malone, University of Memphis

Public Relations Education in Singapore: Educating the Next Generation of Practitioners on Ethics
by Eugene Yong Sheng Woon, Nanyang Technological University & Augustine Pang, Singapore Management University

Teaching Briefs

PR Ethics Literacy: Identifying Moral and Ethical Values Through Purposeful Ethical Education
by Jamie Ward, Eastern Michigan University; Regina Luttrell, Syracuse University; & Adrienne Wallace, Grand Valley State University

Finding a Linkage between Becoming an Ethical Practitioner and Making an Organization Socially Responsible
by Soojin Kim, University of Technology Sydney

PR Ethics: An Interactive Adventure
by Arien Rozelle, St. John Fisher College

Book Review

A Practical Guide to Ethics in Public Relations
Review by Lois A. Boynton, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-6.3-complete-issue-revisedDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
Copyright 2020 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 6, Issue 2

Emily Kinsky

Emily S. Kinsky, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
West Texas A&M University
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education
Email: jpre@wtamu.edu

Note from the Editor-in-Chief:

Below you will find the table of contents for our latest issue, which includes four research articles, six teaching briefs (top ranking Great Ideas For Teaching from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication-PR Division competition this year), and three book reviews. This issue is filled with valuable information for public relations educators.

We are pleased to welcome several new JPRE board members this summer, who are listed on the Editorial Board and Staff page along with the entire board. We thank all our board members for their service as reviewers, supporters, and problem solvers.

The editorial team, which gained a new member in Dr. Eaddy, donated countless hours of effort into this issue. Their assistance is priceless, and I am grateful for their brilliant minds, their willingness to serve, and their incredible work ethic.

Thank you to those of you who have reviewed manuscripts for JPRE this year. You each completed a valuable service to the field, and it is appreciated.

Thank you to Gini Dietrich, author of Spin Sucks, for allowing us to use her PESO model graphic in this issue. We are appreciative of that permission. I gain so much from her podcasts, so I was pleased to see her work featured in a GIFT teaching brief in this issue.

This fall, we look forward to publishing a special issue on the topic of ethics education in collaboration with the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication with guest editor Denise Bortree.

This is my final regular issue to publish while serving as editor-in-chief. It has been an honor.

cover Journal of Public Relations Education Volume 6, Issue 2

Current Issue

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Table of Contents

Research Articles

Media Literacy Among Public Relations Students: An Analysis of Future PR Professionals in the Post-Truth Era
by Jami A. Fullerton, Oklahoma State University; Lori Melton McKinnon, Oklahoma State University; & Alice Kendrick, Southern Methodist University

Perceptions of Mindfulness Among Public Relations Professionals and Students: Similarities, Differences, and Implications for Undergraduate Career Preparation
by Doug Swanson, California State University – Fullerton

A Simulation as a Pedagogical Tool for Teaching Competencies in Public Relations Education
by Aoife O’Donnell, Griffith College, Dublin, Ireland

Student and Faculty/Educator Views on Diversity and Inclusion in Public Relations: The Role of Leaders in Bringing About Change
by Nilanjana Bardhan, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, & Karla Gower, University of Alabama

Teaching Briefs: Top PRD GIFTs from AEJMC 2020

Synthesizing Primary and Secondary Research to Drive Strategy: A Final Project for a Strategic Communication Research Course
by Danielle LaGree, Kansas State University

Diverse Voices in the History of Public Relations
by Arien Rozelle, St. John Fisher College 

Graph Interpretation Exercises for the Public Relations Classroom: An Environmental Scanning Approach
by Lauren Bayliss, Georgia Southern University

From Acronym to Application: PESO Comes to Life
by Arien Rozelle, St. John Fisher College

Who’s Out There? Using Google Analytics and Social Media Data to Research Online Publics 
by Melissa Adams, Appalachian State University

Evaluating Organizational Culture and Courageous Communication
by Melanie Formentin, Towson University

Book Reviews

Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto
Reviewed by Matthew LeHew, Dalton State College

Social Media for Strategic Communication: Creative Strategies and Research-Based Applications
Reviewed by Geah Pressgrove, West Virginia University

Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life
Reviewed by Amanda J. Weed, Kennesaw State University

Read the full issue here:

JPRE-6.2-complete-issue-1Download

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC
Copyright 2020 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

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Journal of Public Relations Education, Volume 6, Issue 1

Note from the Editor-in-Chief:
We are pleased to share Volume 6, Issue 1, which offers our readers three research articles,
two teaching briefs and two book reviews. The articles cover a variety of topics: public
diplomacy training around the world, a comparison of expectations for PR graduates made
by practitioners at different levels in their careers, and suggestions for helping students
increase their knowledge and confidence in using statistics. We believe you will gain both
inspiration and guidance from the teaching briefs, as they explore multicultural training
through writing assignments and building recognition of the connections within and across
personal networks. Finally, the book reviews offer helpful insights into how these two books
might fit into your classes.

The editorial team expanded in November 2019 to include Dr. Kelly Vibber. We are grateful
to have her join us as Dr. Lucinda Austin transitions deeper into leadership within the
AEJMC PR Division. Dr. Austin has been a great help these past 2 years and will be missed.
I am thankful for this entire team, which invests countless hours into proofreading,
formatting and preparing each issue. Their service to the field is greatly appreciated. I also want to express my gratitude to our reviewers who offer useful advice through the blind-
review process and help us maintain a solid reputation. Thank you!

Emily S. Kinsky

Current Issue

JPRE 6.1 full issueDownload

Research Articles

Training International Public Relations Teams: Active Learning in a Multinational Context
by Bond Benton, Montclair State University

Curriculum Rebuilding in Public Relations: Understanding what Early Career, Mid-Career, and Senior PR/Communications Professionals Expect from PR Graduates
by Arunima Krishna, Donald K. Wright, & Raymond L. Kotcher, Boston University

Demystifying Data: A Constructivist Approach to Teaching Statistical Concepts Using SPSS
by Lauren Bayliss, Georgia Southern University

Teaching Briefs

Learning about Diversity Worldwide: How a Social Media Writing Assignment Provides Students with Multicultural Perspectives
by Arhlene A. Flowers, Ithaca College

Implementation of Active Learning Techniques in an Undergraduate Public Relations Course: Comparing Individual Social Networks and Brand Communities
by Corrie A. Wilder, Washington State University

Book Reviews

Public Relations Campaigns: An Integrated Approach
Reviewed by Brandi Watkins, Virginia Tech University

Teach Social Media: A Plan for Creating a Course Your Students Will Love
Reviewed by Natalie T. J. Tindall, Lamar University

Read the full issue here:

JPRE 6.1 full issueDownload

A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC Copyright 2020 AEJMC Public Relations Division

The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:

  • Research Articles
  • Teaching Briefs
  • Book/Software Reviews

Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Questions? Contact the Editorial Staff.

headshot of Hongmei Shen

A Look into the Public Relations Master’s Education in the United States: 2025 Curricular Recommendations

Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2025. Revised and accepted December 4, 2025. 

Authors

headshot of Hongmei Shen

Hongmei Shen
Professor
San Diego State University
California, USA
Email: hshen@sdsu.edu

headshot of Ken Plowman

Kenneth Plowman
Associate Professor
Brigham Young University
Utah, USA
Email: Kenneth_Plowman@byu.edu

Headshot of Melody Fisher

Melody Fisher
Associate Professor
Mississippi State University
Mississippi, USA
Email: mfisher@comm.msstate.edu

ABSTRACT

This article shares insights based on analyses of the 2025 CPRE online survey on master’s education in public relations in the U.S. The study focuses on knowledge areas, skills areas, and courses in disciplines related to public relations, which are identified as necessary curricular components by a national sample of public relations educators (N = 111). The core knowledge areas and skills identified by the findings suggest a graduate curriculum that is strategic, theory-based, and professionally grounded, crucial for graduates to thrive in evolving communication environments. The recommended courses in related disciplines underscore an interdisciplinary focus to enable graduates to think strategically and apply their knowledge effectively in diverse professional settings. 

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Shaping Future Professionals: Industry Perspectives on Graduate Internships

Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2025. Revised and accepted November 4, 2025.  

Authors

headshot of Richard Waters

Richard D. Waters
Assistant Professor
Florida State University
Florida, USA
Email: rdw22@fsu.edu

headshot of Elizabeth Ray

Elizabeth C. Ray
Assistant Professor
Florida State University
Florida, USA
Email: eray@fsu.edu

headshot of Eldaneka Rolle



Eldaneka Rolle
Ph.D. Student
Florida State University
Florida, USA

ABSTRACT

For graduate students in public relations, internships are essential in translating theory to practice. Their supervisors often presume they will deliver on day one, due to the depth of knowledge and experience gained as advanced degree seekers. However, there is increasing criticism that colleges may not provide them with enough practical preparation, as many pause that development at the undergraduate level. To explore how graduate programs can better prepare advanced students for industry expectations, semi-structured interviews were conducted with public relations experts. Results indicated that professionals are concerned about graduate students’ writing, interpersonal and networking abilities. Suggestions for curriculum improvements are discussed, along with future directions and limitations.   

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Public Relations Practitioners’ Expectations for Graduate Education

Editorial Record: Submitted May 14, 2025. Revised and accepted November 20, 2025. 

Authors

headshot of Marlene Neill

Marlene S. Neill
Professor
Baylor University
Texas, USA
Email: Marlene_Neill@baylor.edu

headshot of Patrick Merle

Patrick Merle
Professor
Florida State University
Florida, USA
Email: pmerle@fsu.edu

headshot of Anni Qiang

Anni Qiang
Student
Baylor University
Texas, USA

ABSTRACT

Members of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) surveyed U.S. practitioners to assess needs for graduate education, specifically desired knowledge and skills. This study updates findings from an October 2012 report, particularly how the global pandemic and technology developments in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and video conferencing affect PR practitioners’ perceptions. The new study reveals the most desired areas of knowledge were crisis comunication and issues management, strategic communication in a digital environment, and ethics. The most desired skills included written and oral communication, strategic planning, and interpersonal communication. Results revealed lukewarm perceptions regarding the value of advanced degrees among lower-level and top managers, but some support for professional certifications, particularly in leadership and AI. Implications for graduate education are provided.  

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To Degree or Not Degree: The Unclear Expectations of Public Relations Graduate Education

Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2025. Revised and accepted November 4, 2025. 

Authors

headshot of Stephanie Madden

Stephanie Madden
Associate Professor
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania, USA
Email: szm962@psu.edu

headshot of Chelsea Woods

Chelsea Woods
Associate Professor
Virginia Tech University
Virginia, USA
Email: clwoods@vt.edu

headshot of Kathleen Rennie

Kathleen Rennie
Chair and Clinical Assistant Professor
New York University
New York, USA
Email: kathleen.rennie@nyu.edu

headshot of Karla Gower

Karla K. Gower
Behringer Distinguished Professor
University of Alabama
Alabama, USA
Email: gower@apr.ua.edu

ABSTRACT  

Over the last 25 years, scholars have periodically analyzed public relations graduate program websites to understand how these programs present themselves and structure their curricula. This body of research has consistently highlighted a lack of program uniformity across programs, despite recommendations such as those provided by the Commission on Public Relations Education’s (CPRE) 2012 report, Standards for a Master’s Degree in Public Relations: Educating for Complexity, which was its most recently published report focused on graduate public relations education. Building on this research, our study analyzes how public relations graduate programs currently present their curricula on their websites, with a focus on assessing alignment with the 2012 CPRE curricular report and identifying the various required and elective course offerings, as well as cumulative experiences. The findings reiterate the lack of curricular uniformity, suggest that the growing diversity in course offerings and titles may blur expectations for public relations graduate programs, and offer implications for a recommended core curriculum.  

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In the Lineup or on the Bench? Searching for PR in Sports Management Master’s Programs

Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2024. Revised and accepted November 28, 2025.  

Authors

headshot of Betsy Emmons

Betsy Emmons
Associate Professor
University of Nebraska, Lincoln 
Nebraska, USA
Email: eemmons3@unl.edu

Elizabeth S. Cox
Assistant Professor
University of Kansas 
Kansas, USA
Email: escox@ku.edu

ABSTRACT

Sport management master’s programs are young and increasingly popular graduate programs at many United States universities. As public relations is a key employment area within sport organizations, this research reviewed whether public relations is taught at sport management master’s programs, and if so, what strategies and tactics were presented. Results indicated that a majority of sport management master’s programs included at least one course with public relations learning outcomes. However, PR management, strategy, and tactic presentation were inconsistent among programs, and some programs reported only an ancillary address of PR. Implications for more consistent and pedagogically-grounded PR learning outcomes are discussed, along with opportunities for curricular development bodies in PR to play more active roles in advising non-PR master’s programs on PR education. 

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Appreciative but Battered: The Bittersweet Experiences of Former Black Public Relations Graduate Students

Editorial Record: Submitted August 8, 2024. Revised and accepted December 10, 2025.  

Authors

headshot of Candice Edrington

Candice L. Edrington
Assistant Professor
University of South Carolina
South Carolina, USA
Email: candicee@mailbox.sc.edu

headshot of Damion Waymer

Damion Waymer
Professor
University of South Carolina
South Carolina, USA
Email: dwaymer@mailbox.sc.edu

headshot of Maryam Goli

Maryam Goli
Ph.D. Student
University of South Carolina
South Carolina, USA
Email: mgoli@email.sc.edu

headshot of LaTonya Taylor

LaTonya Taylor
Ph.D. Candidate
University of Alabama
Alabama, USA
Email: ltaylor12@crimson.ua.edu

ABSTRACT

This study extends the scholarly literature that addresses diversity issues in public relations graduate education by focusing on the lived experiences of former Black graduate public relations students (all of whom were practitioners before full-time or part-time university teaching). By conducting in-depth interviews of nine participants, we assess the experiences they had in their graduate programs as well as how those experiences manifest in the relationships that they have (or had) with their Black graduate students. Results from this study provide practical insights that have the potential to assist public relations graduate programs in the recruiting and retaining of Black graduate students.   

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GIFT: Graduate Instruction with Purpose: Theory Building and Community Engagement in Quantitative Methods Courses

Editorial Record: Submitted August 5, 2024. Revised and accepted December 4, 2025.

Author

Virginia Harrison

Virginia Harrison
Assistant Professor
Clemson University
South Carolina, USA
Email: vsharri@g.clemson.edu

ABSTRACT

This class-tested GIFT demonstrates the value of service-learning in an academic master’s degree quantitative methods course. Students in small groups developed a theory-driven research project to help a local nonprofit understand donation motivations among the undergraduate student body. The assignment required them to build public relations and communications theory while developing meaningful takeaways for the partner nonprofit. Students reported feeling less intimidated by quantitative methods, learning principles of scholarly research, and feeling good about helping their community. The nonprofit partner also said they valued the data collected by the students for their fundraising planning. The GIFT illustrates how a quantitative research assignment with a real-world application may serve a classroom of communication students who express different goals—either pursuing a Ph.D. or entering the profession—while benefiting town-gown relations. 

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GIFT: Demonstrating Course Competencies and Student Expertise through a Thought Leadership Assignment

Editorial Record: Submitted August 6, 2025. Revised and accepted December 1, 2025.

Author

Laura Willis

Laura Willis
Associate Professor
Quinnipiac University
Connecticut, USA
Email: Laura.Willis@quinnipiac.edu

ABSTRACT

This teaching brief presents an end-of-course essay assignment that tasks graduate students to share their expertise publicly through a thought leadership-style article. Through stepping out of the role of “learner” and into the role of “expert” and publishing their articles on LinkedIn, students face the heightened stakes of sharing their insights beyond the classroom walls. By highlighting key knowledge, skills, and abilities they have gained through their graduate education, students can demonstrate the unique perspective and value they offer future employers while further developing their own professional brand. This assignment was developed for a course focused on accessibility, diversity, and inclusion on social media; however, the thought-leadership style essay can be adapted to fit the learning outcomes of many public relations courses.  

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Strategic Communications for PR, Social Mediaand Marketing (8th ed.)

Reviewer

Betsy Emmons, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Authors: Laurie J. Wilson, Joseph D. Ogden, & Christopher E. Wilson
Publisher: Kendall Hunt, 2023
ISBN: 979-8765774823
https://he.kendallhunt.com/product/strategiccommunications-pr-social-media-and-marketing
Number of pages: 378

Led by Brigham Young University emeritus professor Laurie Wilson’s “Strategic Communications Matrix,” the Strategic Communications for PR, Social Media and Marketing textbook guides readers through the chronological process of strategic campaign development. The eight-step matrix is the foundation used throughout the book to explain strategic planning. The matrix demonstrates a complete process of researching, planning, implementing and evaluating a campaign in an easy-to-follow format that is comprehensible for beginning strategists while also relatable to experienced practitioners.

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