FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Kerry-Ann Hamilton
Media Relations Manager
k_hamilton@howard.edu
202.238.2332

Howard University’s PRSSA Chapter
Co-Hosts 2010 National Conference

WASHINGTON (Oct. 8, 2010)  – Howard University, along with American University and the University of Maryland College Park, will host more than 1,000 students from across the country at the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA) national conference in Washington, Oct. 15-19, at the Marriot Woodley Park Hotel.

The 2010 National PRSSA Conference, “The Capital Connection: People, Press and Politics,” will provide educational and professional development through sessions and workshops, opportunities to network with professionals and a chance to meet public relations students from other chapters. The conference is the culmination of a year of planning between the students of the winning schools, who underwent a national bidding process to secure the privilege to host the conference. From developing social media tools to garner publicity to soliciting sponsors and speakers, the students worked diligently to coordinate the conference.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to co-host such a nationally recognized event,” said Janise Wilkerson, president of PRSSA DPG and finance director of the 2010 PRSSA National Conference Committee. “We worked really hard, and I think it will be an amazing chance for networking, career development and fellowship.”

The Howard University chapter was instrumental in securing the conference’s keynote speaker, Jim Margolis, a Senior Partner at GMMB. Known as the “Obama Media Man,” his strategic communications firm played a key role in former President Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign and President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Other speakers include national and local public relations professionals from government, nonprofit and highly successful for-profit companies, such as Eli Lilly and Company, JIVE Label Group, The CW Network and General Motors Company. One session speaker is Howard University’s Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., APR, associate dean of Research and Academic Affairs of the John H. Johnson School of Communications who will co-host a panel titled “Discussions in Diversity and Delivery.” The panel will explore how professionals are incorporating diversity at the developing stages of public relations messaging and strategy, and not merely as an after-thought.

For more information about PRSSA or the upcoming conference, please log onto http://www.prssa.org/conference/default.aspx.

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