The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) elected its student-run staff members on Nov. 3, bringing the first ever public relations (PR) club to Coastal Carolina University campus.
PRSSA Adviser Angela Fabbri, lecturer and director of professional communication, explained how the PRSSA organization provides networking opportunities and professional development for students interested in public relations, helping students gain real experience in the PR field.
“It’s meant to give students, who want to work in the professional PR, a leg up now as students,” Fabbri said. “They’re going to participate in real campaign work. They’re going to meet with industry professionals who work in PR locally.”
With the creation of the public relations communications & strategic communications major at CCU, which started in fall of 2024, PRSSA was able to launch.
Fabbri recently spoke to Associate Professor Jeffrey Ranta’s Student-Run PR Agency (PRSC*433) course, to recruit potential members. An ideal spot to look for students who take initiative, Ranta’s students have been managing public relations content for the upcoming New Directions “Fill the Truck” event.
Fabbri also explained how CCU’s PRSSA chapter will be entirely student run with a focus to publicize and elevate the chapter on campus.
Newly elected PRSSA President Jake Carvalho is a junior double major in public relations and recreation and sports management. Carvalho said he has a lot of motivation to help the chapter grow.
“It’s also the first, you know, PR club on this campus as well. To kind of bring more attention to that, bring more professional experience, kind of expand outside of the classroom, Carvalho said. “That’s something that hasn’t been done before here.”
Newly elected PRSSA Vice President Laila Price is a sophomore public relations major. Price aims to lead an organization that welcomes interest in the field at all levels.
“I also wanted to highlight transparency, you know, not having as much exposure with this field because it’s so brand new, especially at Coastal. I wanted to make sure everyone felt comfortable and to really make a difference,” Price said.
The new staff also includes Treasurer Meadow Myers, Secretary Kaitlin Suber and PR Director Kathryn Mullarkey.
