Students in the UAB PRCA/PRSSA chapter with Assistant Professor Jacquelyn S. Shaia, J.D., Ph.D., front left, faculty adviser and director of the Public Relations program at UAB, and Elizabeth Shelton, front right, vice president of Communications for the Birmingham PRCA chapter.The University of Alabama at Birmingham chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama/Public Relations Student Society of America has won the Betty W. Hudges Student Chapter of the Year Award.
The UAB chapter also won an unprecedented 46 individual student awards, and senior Tehreem Khan was named Student of the Year.
The awards were presented at the 2022 PRCA State Conference on May 5 in Montgomery, Alabama.
The judges for these awards are from out-of-state and this year were all practicing professionals from Oklahoma, says Jacquelyn S. Shaia, J.D., Ph.D., faculty adviser and director of the Public Relations Program at UAB. Shaia, who also taught the students, is an assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Communication Studies.
“This award represents the tremendous confidence the judges have in our program,” Shaia said. “We competed against large and small universities and much larger programs, and I am truly pleased our program — and our students — have been recognized for their hard work.”
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Medallion awards are the highest level of recognition, followed by Excellence and Merit awards. The UAB public relations students won 11 Medallion awards, 13 Excellence awards and 20 Merit awards.
“I am beyond proud of these young professionals and feel confident they will each make substantive contributions to our community and this field as they enter the workforce,” Shaia said. “Their professionalism, high standards, ethics and leadership truly honor UAB.”
PRSA and PRSSA are made up of nearly 30,000 professionals and students who are organized into 300-plus chapters in the United States. PRCA/PRSSA at UAB welcomes membership by all students from all majors at UAB. To learn more about membership opportunities for PRCA/PRSSA at UAB, visit the chapter’s website.