Section Awards

Professional Interest Section Awards

The Section Awards recognize practitioners not only for their outstanding contributions to the public relations profession, but also for the expertise they provide to the specific industries in which they work. This is a unique opportunity for you to be honored within your industry and stand out among your peers.

Counselors to Higher Education - Advocate for Higher Education Award

CHE’s Advocate for Higher Education Award recognizes a leader who has effectively used strategic communication and public relations to advance the mission of higher education. The awardee’s work embodies the values that we espouse as professional communicators serving higher education.

David Ferguson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Relations Education by a Practitioner

Presented by the Educators Academy, the David Ferguson Award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of public relations education. The award is named for David Ferguson, APR, Fellow PRSA, in recognition of his outstanding support to public relations education as PRSA president and co-chair of the PRSA Educational Affairs Committee.

Betsy Plank Graduate Research Competition and PRSA Top Faculty Paper Awards

Presented by the Educators Academy, these awards recognize educators, public relations graduate students and public relations professionals for written work that either tests, refines or expands public relations practice, research or theory; or critically reviews issues relevant to public relations theory or research.

Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Leadership Award

Presented by the Public Affairs & Government Section, the Lloyd B. Dennis Award recognizes individuals who have used their public affairs skills to promote truth, demonstrated high standards of integrity and honesty in business dealings and helped affect positive change within an organization. Lloyd B. Dennis was a leader in public affairs and former chair of the Public Affairs & Government Section.

Technology PR Professional of the Year Award

Presented by the Technology Section, the award is intended to recognize one outstanding Section member who has demonstrated notable or outstanding service and/or contributions to the PRSA Technology Section, their employer or organization and to the practice of technology public relations communications.