Editorial Record: Submitted September 13, 2024. Revised November 25, 2024. Accepted May 5, 2025.
Authors
Regina Luttrell Associate Professor Syracuse University New York, USA Email: rmluttre@syr.edu
Jason Davis Professor Syracuse University New York, USA Email: jdavis72@syr.edu
Carrie Welch Adjunct Professor Syracuse University New York, USA Email: ctwelch@syr.edu
ABSTRACT
An artificial intelligence (AI) hackathon was utilized in three class sessions in an innovative assignment designed for courses in public relations writing, campaigns, digital marketing, or capstone projects within communication majors to prepare students for the AI-driven modern workplace. The hackathon’s objectives centered on developing students’ technical understanding, practical application skills, and ability to work collaboratively with AI tools in public relations and communications contexts. Participants gained hands-on experience with image-based generative AI, demystifying the technology and exploring its strengths and weaknesses. This approach aimed to equip students with the necessary competencies to navigate and excel in communication strategies where AI can be productively incorporated. A survey of student participants revealed a positive experience as well as the acquisition of new skills.
The Public Relations Handbook is a useful resource for public relations students, aspiring PR professionals, and public relations educators looking for real-world examples, advice, and case studies to better understand the current state of public relations. Edited by Robert L. Dilenschneider, The Public Relations Handbook features chapters on a range of topics from public relations planning to specialized fields of public relations to international public relations.
Editors: Mildred Perreault and Sarah Smith-Frigerio Publisher: Peter Lang, 2024 ISBN: 9781433192234 DOI: 10.3726/b18897 Number of pages: 398
The authors effectively illustrate the multifaceted nature of crisis communication and responses in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, encompassing various phases and complexities across all societal levels. Recognizing that traditional crisis communication literature may not fully capture the intricacies of such events, this book provides a comprehensive examination of the challenges and practices associated with pandemic-related crisis communication. Organized into four major categories, individual, organizational, community/regional, and national/international, the book utilizes a case study format to explore these complexities. Each chapter presents essential background information, including theoretical concepts and/or contextual information, before detailing a case study and concluding with discussion questions. This structure ensures readers gain a holistic understanding of crisis communication, moving beyond isolated examples to grasp the broader context and relevant background information.
Manuscript Due Date: 08/07/2025 Anticipated Publication: January 2026 JPRE 12(1)
Guest Editors
Emily S. Kinsky, West Texas A&M University Charles Lubbers, University of South Dakota Adrienne A. Wallace, Grand Valley State University Pamela G. Bourland-Davis, Georgia Southern University (posthumously)
Since 1975, the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) has studied undergraduate and graduate public relations education standards and practices, with the bulk of its effort being to lessen the gap between the profession and the academy at the undergraduate level. In 1999, the CPRE “Port of Entry” report addressed the university as the official “port of entry” for those who seek to make public relations a career, citing both undergraduate and graduate education as the tooling and retooling centers of the public relations profession. Then, the last official CPRE report on graduate education was released in 2012, “Standards for a Master’s Degree in Public Relations: Educating for Complexity.” With the growth of master’s-level public relations education in recent years and the splintering of methods, modes of delivery, theory, and practice, this special issue attempts to bridge the gap that exists in pedagogy related to PR graduate education with an issue solely dedicated to graduate education in public relations.
The purpose of this special issue call is to invite research articles, teaching briefs, scholarly and critical essays, and case studies, and we are especially interested in articles that explore BOTH the challenges and opportunities for public relations pedagogy focusing on graduate-level education in the public relations classroom. Submissions that offer practical knowledge and guidance for ONLY graduate public relations education are encouraged. We invite original submissions, and areas of focus could include but are not limited to:
How practitioner expectations align with graduate education
Best practices for internships in applied master’s programs
Applied theory at the graduate level
International approaches to graduate education
Developing research and data analytical abilities for practice
How graduate programs connect with the demands of the profession
Innovative approaches to graduate education (e.g., unique course offerings, new ideas for projects and assignments)
Submission Guidelines Submissions should follow the Author Guidelines on the JPRE website. Authors should include the special call name (SIGradPR) in parentheses after their manuscript title to indicate the submission is for this particular special call. Authors should submit their manuscript through Scholastica, the online submission system for JPRE. All submissions will be anonymously reviewed, following the guidelines of JPRE. Authors must use APA style for citations, references, tables, figures, and captions, plus follow the JPRE Styleguide. All identifying information must be deleted before full paper submissions.
Timeline with Key Dates Deadline for full manuscript submission to JPRE’s Scholastica submission portal: https://jpre.scholasticahq.com/ – 08/07/2025 Notification of review results, including invitations for revision and resubmission (R&R): August 2025 Deadline for R&R submission: 09/30/2025 Scheduled Publication: January 2026 12(1)
If you have any questions, please contact the guest editors for additional information. Dr. Emily S. Kinsky, West Texas A&M University, ekinsky@wtamu.edu Dr. Chuck Lubbers, University of South Dakota, chuck.lubbers@usd.edu Dr. Adrienne A. Wallace, Grand Valley State University, wallacad@gvsu.edu
Adrienne A. Wallace Grand Valley State University Editor-in-Chief Journal of Public Relations Education Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu
At JPRE, we love it when a plan comes together, resulting in a powerful themed issue. In 11-1, the evolving landscape of public relations (PR) education and the necessity of preparing students for industry challenges through experiential learning, ethical considerations, and AI literacy is brought full circle. This issue features a diverse array of pedagogical innovations aimed at bridging the gap between academic instruction and professional application.
“The Kids Are Alright” by Tefertiller, Vaszuez and Brammer delves into the ethical dimensions of AI use among PR students, revealing how future practitioners navigate the complexities of AI-driven communication while maintaining professional integrity. The creative thinking of Riddell, Fenner, and Kearney uses Enneagram Harmony Triads for group formation in PR courses, and highlights the role of team dynamics in successful campaign execution. By leveraging personality-based grouping, this method improves collaboration, reduces interpersonal friction, and enhances overall project outcomes, reinforcing the importance of soft skills in PR education. The teaching brief by Howes on creating a prompt library for AI-driven public relations education underscores the growing importance of AI proficiency in public relations practice, emphasizing both the technical skill of prompt engineering and the critical thinking necessary to evaluate AI-generated content. Finally, the critical dimension of industry readiness is explored by the dynamic duo from Jacksonville State University, Murphy and Joyce, in a teaching brief giving us a roadmap for the integration of job application practice into a PR campaigns course, which provides students with hands-on experience in applying for PR roles, refining their resumes, and preparing for professional interviews. This approach mirrors industry expectations, ensuring that students graduate with not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that enhance employability.
Together, these articles reflect the Journal of Public Relations Educator’s ongoing commitment to advancing pedagogical strategies that align with industry needs. From AI literacy and ethics to career preparation and collaborative learning, the articles in this issue provide a roadmap for equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical frameworks necessary to thrive in the modern PR landscape.
Coming soon: Keep your eyes peeled for two special issue calls dropping in the upcoming weeks: first, in what we are calling the graduate issue, is the collective creation of previous JPRE editors-in-chief, Pamela Bourland-Davis, Emily Kinsky, and Charles “Chuck” Lubbers which will invite invite research articles, teaching briefs, and book reviews – we are especially interested in manuscripts that explore BOTH the challenges and opportunities for public relations pedagogy focusing on graduate-level education; then the second special issue, we are affectionately referring to as the GIFTs of leadership which features another all-star guest editor lineup of David Grossman (The Grossman Group), Tina McCorkindale (IPR), Karla Gower (Plank), and more. This special issue will welcome submissions of articles, teaching briefs, and book reviews that examine both the challenges and opportunities in public relations pedagogy, with a focus on leadership in the undergraduate classroom. Watch the AEJMC PRD listserv for complete calls and the PRD community website for these calls as they go live.
Our appreciation goes out to the Editorial Review Board, the Past Editors Council, as well as our beloved sponsors, the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication and the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations – Moody College at the University of Texas at Austin. If you are interested in joining the ERB or sponsoring JPRE, please reach out. I’d love to talk to you about how you can contribute to our 100% volunteer-operated open-access journal.
Matthew Brammer Virtual Coaching Specialist Ford Motor Company
ABSTRACT
Generative artificial intelligence tools have alarmed many in higher education given their potential threat to academic honesty. For public relations educators, for whom ethics education is an important consideration, the implications of these tools warrant close consideration. Using a cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey of students in a U.S. collegiate journalism and public relations department (N = 256), this study determined that while ethical issues need to be addressed, students seek to use the tools in a manner consistent with professional guidelines.
Editorial Record: Submitted July 20, 2024. Revised October 17, 2024. Accepted February 10, 2025.
Authors
Heather Riddell Associate Professor University of West Florida Florida, USA Email: hriddell@uwf.edu
Christopher Fenner Instructor University of West Florida Florida, USA Email: cfenner@uwf.edu
Christina Kearney M.A. Student Saint Mary of the Woods
ABSTRACT
A significant challenge academic courses face is how best to group students for a semester-long project in strategic communication or public relations courses. This research aims to determine whether using the Enneagram of Personality’s Harmony Triads to contextualize the formation of student groups in public relations courses increases the quality of group experiences and the effectiveness of project teams. An experiment was conducted over two academic years: one taught with the Enneagram framework and one without. Assessments and findings are based on comparing data gathered via peer evaluations, final group projects, and course grades. Results show group and final grades increase when project teams are formed using the Enneagram, suggesting the framework facilitates group cohesion, increased productivity, and higher grades.
Editorial Record: Submitted June 30, 2024. Revised June September 21, 2024. Accepted February 10, 2024.
Authors
Pauline Howes Associate Professor Kennesaw State University Georgia, USA Email: phowes1@kennesaw.edu
ABSTRACT
Preparing public relations students with knowledge and skills to apply generative artificial intelligence (AI) to professional practice has become an essential part of PR education. This teaching brief presents a public relations course assignment, Creating a Prompt Library, that involves developing prompting skills, applying AI tools to a variety of public relations tasks, and critically analyzing AI output.
Matthew P. Taylor, Middle Tennessee State University
Author: Amy Rosenberg Publisher: Veracity Marketing, 2021 ISBN (Print): 978-1-7365140-0-9 ISBN (eBook): 978-1-7365140-1-6 Number of pages: 185
A Modern Guide to Public Relations: Unveiling the Mystery of PR provides a practitioner’s perspective on how to conduct effective media relations using traditional methods to generate publicity and newer SEO-driven approaches to garner attention online. Author Amy Rosenberg, founder and president of Veracity, a PR firm in Portland, OR, draws from a wealth of professional experience to guide the book’s articulation of how to generate effective story ideas, distribute content to the appropriate news outlets, and connect with journalists in order to earn placement. Rosenberg also incorporates her observations on the most important qualities for public relations professionals to possess and how to find one’s fit in the industry. Public relations is an intriguing career path in this telling.
Editorial Record: Submitted July 19, 2024. Revised October 14, 2024. Accepted February 10, 2025.
Authors
Breann Murphy Associate Professor Jacksonville State University Alabama, USA Email: bmurphy5@jsu.edu
Teddi Joyce Associate Professor Jacksonville State University Alabama, USA Email: tjoyce@jsu.edu
ABSTRACT
Public relations industry professionals express a growing need for undergraduate students to be profession-ready upon graduation. As a result, educators must continue to creatively integrate assignments and experiential learning experiences into the classroom that simulate real-world practices and emphasize job readiness. This teaching brief provides an assignment sample to help educators provide students with practice and experience on applying for a job in public relations and how this assignment can be implemented into a public relations campaigns or capstone course.
