Launching PRSSA: The Power of 3

In 2022, PRSA is commemorating 75 years. Strategies & Tactics will highlight the contributions of the organization and milestones in the profession, as well as past, current and future generations of practitioners. Visit www.prsa.org/about/75th-anniversary for more history.

With students returning to campus this fall, we take a look at the launch of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which owes its existence to the influence of three exceptional advocates — Chris Teahan, Jon Riffel, APR, and J. Carroll Bateman, APR. 

The three led an 18-year struggle by educators, students and practitioners to form a student Society. They were able to celebrate their hard work in November 1967 at the PRSA Assembly in Philadelphia, where delegates voted unanimously to establish PRSSA.

The PRSA Board of Directors chartered the first PRSSA Chapters on April 4, 1968, at nine qualified schools: University of Florida, University of Houston, University of Maryland, the Ohio State University, San Jose State University, University of Southern California, University of Texas, Utica College and West Virginia University. PRSSA began with 196 members.

The Board approved three additional Chapters — University of Central Missouri, University of North Dakota and Syracuse University — on June 28. Kent State University received its charter on Sept. 13 and Northern Illinois University on Nov. 17. These 14 Alpha Chapters were the humble beginnings of PRSSA as we know it today.

Since then, PRSSA has progressed through the support of leaders like Champions for PRSSA, the PRSA Foundation and Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSA.