ONU PRSSA chapter garners numerous national awards

Ohio Northern University's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter received a Dr. F.H. Teahan National Chapter Award and numerous individual awards at the National PRSSA conference in Salt Lake City Nov. 10 -14.

The ONU chapter snared the Teahan Chapter Award for "Outstanding PRSAA Newsletter." This category honors the outstanding PRSSA newsletter and the criterion includes quality of writing, creativity, design and content.

Melissa Csuhran, a junior communication arts major from Mentor, Ohio, captured the "Altschul Champions for PRSSA Outstanding Internship Award." This award honors a PRSSA member who has achieved outstanding success in a public relations internship. It recognizes a student who demonstrates outstanding academic excellence in public relations and strong practical performance in the field.

Csuhran also received the Norman Fenichel Award that recognizes a PRSSA member who has achieved outstanding public relations and an excellent understanding of ethical conduct in the profession.

Csuhran and Barbara Tate, a senior communication arts major from North Kingsville, Ohio shared the National President's Citation that recognizes PRSA members who exceed the expectations of everyone around them.

Tate also received the Betsy Plank/PRSSA Scholarship Award. The scholarship recognizes academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, practical experience and commitment to public relations.

Six ONU students snared the National Gold Key award that acknowledges outstanding PRSAA members. It is the highest individual honor bestowed upon members of the PRSSA. It recognizes those students who display outstanding academic excellence in public relations and leadership qualities in PRSSA. ONU members honored were: Jessica Anderson, '06 (Arts and Science). Jamie Chabra, '06, (Arts & Science) Tiffany Garcia, '06 (Arts and Science) Heidi Post, '06 (Arts & Science) and Tate.

The Champions For PRSSA is the informal, independent organization composed of professionals with a special interest in PRSSA. Each year, they sponsor the awards for the winning entries in the Chapter Awards Competition named for the late Dr. F. H. (Chris) Teahan, PRSA Vice President of Education, and a founding member of The Champions.

Twenty years after its own establishment in 1968, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) founded the PRSSA. The declared purpose of PRSSA is to cultivate a favorable and mutually advantageous relationship between students and professional public relations practitioners. Today PRSSA has more than 8,500 members in 270 chapters on college campuses across the country.

Published: Thu, 12/07/2006 - 1:00am