ICON 2023 Speakers Announced; Bateman Winner Selected
June-July 2023
PRSA has announced that two acclaimed writers and journalists, Michele Norris and David Epstein, will be keynote speakers at ICON 2023, being held Oct. 15-17 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Norris is an award-winning journalist and one of the most recognized voices in radio who engages audiences in candid discussions about race, culture and communication in America.
For a decade, as host of National Public Radio’s longest-running program, “All Things Considered,” she captivated audiences nationwide while earning some of journalism’s highest honors.
As a Washington Post Opinions columnist, Norris sparks meaningful dialogue on current events, social issues, and the power to make change as she breaks down commonly held beliefs and attitudes on race, diversity and bias.
Throughout Norris’ accomplished career, her efforts to promote conversation about race have resulted in her critically acclaimed book, “The Grace of Silence: A Memoir.” She received accolades for a Peabody Award-winning initiative, “The Race Card Project,” which fosters conversation among individuals about their differences.
David Epstein is the author of “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” and “The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance.”
Epstein has made it his mission to uncover the keys to achieving high performance in any profession or fast-changing environment — knowledge that has become essential to educating, developing and retaining the workforce of the future.
His New York Times best-seller, “The Sports Gene,” investigated the balance of nature and nurture in developing a skill. “Range” examines the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to artists, scientists, entrepreneurs and Nobel laureates.
Find more details at the ICON 2023 site.
The University of Florida Takes 1st in Bateman Competition
The University of Florida took top honors in the 2023 Bateman Case Study Competition.
This year, PRSSA teamed up with the News Literacy Project, the nation’s leading provider of news literacy education, to challenge students to research, plan, implement and evaluate a PR campaign centered on raising awareness around the importance of knowing how to separate fact from fiction and creating better informed and engaged individuals.
The University of Florida’s CommuniGATORS team launched a research-driven campaign that exceeded all objectives. The team listened to, engaged with and inspired the community to take action to stop the spread of misinformation.
Over the course of this campaign, the team hosted 30 news literacy workshops, motivated 1,111 people to sign a pledge to stop the spread of misinformation, reached 21 counties in North Central Florida via multiple TV and radio stations, and received more than 27,000 social media impressions.
The campaign equipped Black, Latino and rural communities with the tools to unite around facts and inspired a new generation of news-literate individuals in Gainesville.
PRSSA received 49 entries from colleges and universities across the nation.
The University of Colorado earned second, followed by Louisiana State University in the third-place spot.
The Bateman Case Study Competition originated in 1973 as a national case study allowing PRSSA members to exercise the analytical skills required for PR problem-solving.
Commemorating Pride Month
Throughout June, PRSA is offering a wide range of professional development and educational resources designed to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ+ population within and beyond the communications profession, as well as promote the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, acceptance and advocacy.
These resources, gathered at the PRSA website, include webinars and other presentations, toolkits and editorial content. Follow PRSA’s social media platforms for updates and features throughout the month.
