Fellow PRAM Central members,
What is the most valuable thing about PRAM to you? For me, it’s the people who helped nurture me when I was just starting my career in public relations more than three decades ago and continue to teach me today. Although I had the education and some skills back then, I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. Vicki Harper (now Blake) provided so much help and counsel to me. Vicki was then working for Mississippi Blood Services, and it was at her urging that I joined PRAM. There, I made many connections with other professionals upon whom I could call. They became lifelong friends. Often, I had no clue about how to do the work, but Vicki and others were just a phone call or visit away and mentored me.
One of the most valuable things about PRAM is not going to meetings, getting recognition for our work through awards and accreditation, or learning valuable skills and abilities. (Those are all really valuable things!) But to me, the real strength of an organization such as PRAM is that it puts people together. We can learn so much from each other.
This year, we are trying to strengthen the ties we have with each other by having more events where we can just be together in a social setting and develop relationships. We have two more social events planned for this year, in August and November. We’ve deemed these so important that they will take the place of our regular monthly meetings.
So, the next time you’re among PRAM colleagues, take a moment to get to know each other a little better and look around for people who could benefit from your knowledge or wisdom and be attentive to opportunities to become a mentor. Perhaps you can be the Vicki that mentors a newbie and helps set the stage for a career.
Best,
Bill Moak, APR
President
