Hello San Antonio PR Pros!

It’s a busy time of year. Summertime is winding down, kids are going back to school, and we are all wishing for cooler weather!

I am excited to formally congratulate two of our chapter members who have been elected to PRSA’s College of Fellows. The College of Fellows is comprised of professionals and educators who have made a significant impact on the public relations and communications profession. 

Christie Goodman, APR, Fellow PRSA and Frances (Fran) Stephenson, APR, Fellow PRSA, will be inducted at a gala celebration on Saturday, October 14 prior to PRSA’s annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. We are so proud of both Christie and Fran! It’s not easy to go through the College of Fellows application process. Members of the College of Fellows have at least 20 years of PR and communications experience and are accredited in public relations (APR), among other qualifications. 

On August 22, we will have a lunchtime webinar on crisis communications, and we are also planning a networking event at the end of the month as an end-of-summer celebration. Watch your emails for more information. 

If you are not receiving chapter communications about upcoming events, please make sure your profile on our website is up to date. You can edit your profile at any time and add information and/or a headshot as well. Visit www.prsanantonio.com and log into the member’s section to access our Chapter Directory and to make changes to your profile. 

As always, we welcome your feedback. If you have any ideas or suggestions for our Board to consider, please don’t hesitate to contact me, at terri.behling@havenforhope.org. 

Until next time…

Terri Behling, APR

2023 PRSA-SA Chapter President

📧 terri.behling@havenforhope.org

👤 Connect with me on LinkedIn 



Senior management and leaders within companies, organizations and governments embroiled in a crisis have learned the hard way what happens when the unthinkable becomes reality. An accident results in death or injury; a failed takeover causes the share price to plummet; a hurricane ravages a community; toxic food, medicines or drinks lead to mass hysteria. Every day, organizations run the risk of being affected. The fact that we live in an age of transparency means that no company or organization is immune to the threat of a possible crisis.

Join us on August 22 as we learn how to limit damage effectively by acting quickly and positively and communicating efficiently. Learn valuable crisis communication tips to help you become the master of your organization’s disaster.

As head of strategic communications and public affairs for Georgia-Pacific, Chris knows firsthand the importance of having a plan in place before a crisis hits, and how to create one that’s effective.

We are opening our program to help support small businesses that have minimal public relations, marketing, and social media support.

Prices:

$35 (early bird); $45 (regular); $55 (onsite)

Tickets go on sale: August 28, 2023

• Early bird-September 29 deadline ($35)
• Regular - October 27 deadline ($45)
• Onsite- November 4 deadline ($55)- pay at the door; breakfast/lunch not guaranteed
• For more information, please visit here.

The Marilyn Potts Scholarship Legacy

In 2011 after nearly two years of fundraising, our chapter awarded the first Marilyn Potts scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to a public relations student at UTSA. Since that time, we have awarded scholarships annually to other deserving public relations students at UTSA exclusively. This has only been possible thanks to your generosity of giving directly to the Marilyn Potts Endowment Fund or by participating the 50/50 raffles held at chapter get-togethers over the years. 

Two things have evolved since the Marilyn Potts scholarship began: 1) the number of colleges and universities in South Texas offering public relations and communications curriculum has expanded; 2) the cost of tuition and books has skyrocketed.

For example, the cost of a four-year degree at a state school is now approaching $50,000, not counting room and board. And, besides UTSA, Communication degrees with an emphasis in Public Relations are being offered at Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, Trinity University, Texas A & M San Antonio/Corpus Christy, UT Rio Grande Valley, the University of the Incarnate Word and others.

So, more public relations students with greater financial needs. 

As the leading professional public relations organization in South Texas, our chapter has an obligation to assist the best and brightest coming into our field. We plan to do that by undertaking a major new fundraising effort over the next 18 months to increase both the number of scholarships and the increase of the amount awarded. The Chapter is working to broaden the reach of the scholarship program to include more students in 2024.

In the next weeks and months, you’ll be seeing more information about this effort. We hope that, when asked, you will give generously to the Marilyn Potts Foundation as we work to expand the financial help that our public relations students need and deserve.



-- Robert E. Sheldon, APR, Fellow PRSA

• On September 14, tune in to Shining a Light on Dark Tactics: Disinformation, Climate Litigation, and the PRSA Code of Ethics. Registration for this webinar is free and now open for PRSA and PRSSA members. Consider hosting a virtual discussion for your members following the session. (Watch for more on this idea and others from us to follow soon.)  And don’t forget Strategies & Tactics and PRsay as sources of great ethics content during Ethics Month and all year long.
• If you haven’t done so recently, get to know the wealth of ethics resources on the PRSA website, including Position Papers, Ethical Standards Advisories, links to the Code of Ethics and an ethics quiz. Join MyPRSA’s Ethics in Communications Community and turn on email notifications. In addition to staying on top of announcements and accessing on-demand webinars, we are working to build value in this community as a hub for discussion and debate.
• The best ethics resource of all, of course, is the Code of Ethics itself. Keep it close and handy by bookmarking the link today.

Have news to share? Promotion or job change? Let us know! Email your exciting news to info@prsantonio.com.

PRSA-SA is excited to welcome new chapter members and thank those who recently renewed their membership! 

Welcoming New and Returning Members

New Members

• Clay Carabajal - Visit San Antonio

Not a member yet? Join here.

The mission of the San Antonio Chapter of PRSA is to advance communication professionals by providing career development opportunities and fostering a collaborative community where individuals can strategically and ethically practice effective public relations.

This year, the PRSA San Antonio Board of Directors' goal is to bring maximum value to PRSA Members.

To learn more about PRSA-SA and how you can get involved, contact PRSA-SA 2023 President Terri Behling, APR at terri.behling@havenforhope.org

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