Fay Chen’s Journey From PRSSA to PR Professor
By John Elsasser
October 2024
Today, Chen, associate professor of communication studies and public relations at the University of San Francisco, serves as the school’s first PRSSA faculty adviser.
Her journey has come full circle, and she continues to cherish her role in mentoring the next generation of PR professionals. Here, Chen talks more about her start in education, the importance of networking, and the opportunity to teach the next generation of communications and PR professionals.
Your early career included a role as a TV news reporter and translator. At what point did you realize that higher education was your calling?
I discovered my passion for public relations during my undergraduate years in China. At that time, I wanted to find a career where I could integrate my interests in writing and business management, and I found public relations to be the perfect fit for that.
I decided to work as a TV news reporter and Chinese-English translator because I loved the excitement of news reporting and also learned about the importance of media relations in public relations.
After that, I decided to pursue a graduate degree in public relations in the United States. During my studies and professional experience in public relations in the U.S., I benefited greatly from the mentorship my professors provided. Without their mentorship, I would not have launched a career in this country as a first-generation immigrant.
During my doctoral studies, I had the opportunity to guest lecture and teach classes and that’s when I found higher education as my calling. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and mentoring students and connecting my teaching and academic research to the profession of public relations. I would like to support my students with knowledge, networks and resources in the way my professors supported me.
As a former PRSSA member at the University of Georgia, where you received a Master’s and now a faculty adviser at USF, what motivated you to stay actively involved in PRSSA throughout your career as a student and an educator?
The abundant resources, network and great energy motivated me to stay active in PRSSA throughout my career. As a PRSSA member at the University of Georgia, I had the opportunity to listen to and interact with speakers from the PR industry, network with fellow students and professionals, and deepen my understanding of the profession. It was a great avenue to apply what I learned in classes and my research projects to the real world.
Now, as the founding faculty adviser for the PRSSA Chapter at the University of San Francisco, I can connect my students with the industry and provide them with the resources they need to launch a PR career. It has come full circle, and I love it!
The USF PRSSA Chapter was launched in January 2021. How has the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter created a welcoming community for the students?
The PRSA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter was instrumental in making our PRSSA Chapter happen, and I am so grateful for all they do for me and my students.
When I first came to San Francisco, I didn’t know many people in the PR industry. PRSA-SF welcomed me with open arms. They reached out to me, invited me to join events, and made sure I felt welcomed and supported in this community.
Throughout the years, I have invited many folks from PRSA-SF as guest speakers in my classes and have also taken students to our local events, which created a glimpse for the students to experience what it would be like to have a PRSSA Chapter at our school. These speaker and networking events motivated us to start our own Chapter, and PRSA-SF was very helpful during our application process.
Since establishing our PRSSA Chapter, we have had many student-led events where the PRSA-SF board and members serve as speakers and mentors. PRSA-SF also provides discounted tickets for students to join our local events. Knowing that it could be intimidating to attend a professional event as a student, the board members would always try to personally greet the students at these events.
I am also on the board of PRSA-SF as the director of student affairs, hoping to bring what this great community has to offer to even more students.
What role do you see networking playing in the success of students and young professionals in PR, and how do you encourage students to build meaningful connections?
Networking is one of the most important factors in the success of students and young professionals in public relations. It is not just about what you know but also who you know. We all know about the theory of six degrees of separation!
Whenever we have guest speakers, I encourage the students to connect with them on LinkedIn. I emphasize the importance of personalized notes in their invitations.
To build meaningful connections, I also encourage them to reach out to professionals via respectful and personalized email inquiries and attend both online and in-person events to deepen their connections.
What are you most pleased with the USF PRSSA Chapter’s continued development?
I am most pleased with the quality of events that our Chapter consistently hosts since its establishment and the career outcomes for our Chapter’s leaders and members. Every semester, our executive board would organize events specifically tailored toward member connection, skill development and industry networking.
We have had an amazing and diverse array of speakers. Alums of our Chapter continue to pursue their careers at top graduate programs and reputable companies such as Edelman, Zeno Group, Highwire PR and Bospar.
What key skills do you believe are essential for students pursuing a career in PR and communications, and how do you ensure these skills are integrated into your coursework?
I believe ethics, writing skills, analytical and critical thinking, and business acumen are essential for students pursuing a career in PR and communications. In my coursework, we would discuss ethics in-depth at the start of every class and make sure it is intertwined in our learning throughout the semester.
I would cultivate the students’ writing skills through various in-class activities, simulations, and assignments and approach them from a portfolio-building perspective. To cultivate students’ analytical and critical thinking and business acumen, I would ensure that we approach PR and communications from a strategic perspective through case studies that feature the RPIE process and real-world campaign development in their capstone.
Looking ahead, how do you see the role of public relations evolving, and what should educators focus on to ensure that students are well-prepared for the future?
I see the role of public relations evolving in the future with the rapid development of technology as well as the ever-evolving needs of purpose-driven communication. To ensure that students are well-prepared for the future, I believe educators should continue focusing on the importance of ethics and the ethical implications of our practices.
We should teach our students research and data analytical skills and how to “translate” data into strategical insights. We should also teach them to broaden their perspective to prepare for cross-functional collaboration.
Finally, it is important for us to cultivate our students’ leadership skills so they can prepare to serve as the corporate conscience in organizational decision- making to facilitate purpose-driven communication.
