NEWS

This section includes news and information about the Plank Center, the public relations program at the University of Alabama, and individuals and groups associated with leadership initiatives in the field.

Highlights for the Center during its first three years of operation (2005-2008) include:

Platform Online Magazine (www.platformmagazine.com)

This innovative magazine was designed, written and produced by nine UA public relations students in spring 2007. Platform seeks to create an online community and to provide relevant and entertaining content primarily targeting future professionals and educators, as well as practitioners. The magazine’s second issue was launched in January 2008; three issues are planned each year. Platform’s home page encourages students, educators and professionals to submit story ideas for the next issue of the magazine.   

Leadership Research Grants

In 2006 the Center initiated a grants program to help fund research studies in leadership in public relations, which has received little research attention in the past. To date, six competitive research grants totaling about $40,000 have been awarded to 10 scholars at eight universities.

Plank Center Website (www.plankcenter.ua.edu)

The Center’s rapidly evolving website features a variety of resources to help public relations students, educators and practitioners learn more about leaders and leadership in practice.  These resources now include:

• A series of 20-minute video interviews with distinguished public relations experts regarding leadership qualities, practices and experiences. Ten interviews have been completed and are available on the website. 

• A 50-minute video of the Living Legends Panel Session, held during the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA) Conference in Philadelphia in October 2007. Four award-winning leaders in the field--Judith Bogart, Ron Culp, Ofield Dukes and Gary McCormick--responded to questions from an audience of more than 300 students. 

• An expanding directory of leadership articles, chapters, books and helpful websites.

Legacies from Legends In Public Relations

This unique anthology was published and presented by the Center in October 2007 to the PRSSA on the occasion of its 40th anniversary year. The book contains personal messages and professional observations for public relations students that were written by 34 “living legends” in the field. These women and men have been honored by their colleagues for leadership in the development of the public relations profession.  The 90-page book is available as a pdf on the Center’s website; print copies may be ordered by contacting the Center’s director. 

PRSSA Ethics Advocacy Awards Program

Launched in 2006, this program encourages PRSSA chapters and members to: 1) reinforce their understanding of the professional Code of Ethics for PR practice, 2) recognize that integrity and trustworthy performance are personal commitments and behaviors for here-and-now practice on campus and in studies and 3) become active advocates and exemplars for ethical behavior in their schools. Students develop and carry out programs to help combat plagiarism and cheating and support their school’s own honor codes.

The winning school Chapters and their advisors receive cash awards and are recognized at PRSSA’s national conference. Winners in 2007 included California State University--Fullerton, Illinois State University, Belmont University and Southeast Missouri State University. Recipients of the inaugural awards in 2006 were Illinois State University, Belmont University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Endowed Lecture Series and Public Relations Scholarships

Ten experts in public relations have participated in the John A. Koten Distinguished PR Lectureship Series, including recent speakers Ann Barkelew, Board of Directors of The Arthur W. Page Society, and John Reed, chairman of Consultants in Public Relations. Topics have included professional ethics, international public relations, employee communications during organizational change, measurement of the value of public relations and dimensions of leadership in the field. 

Through the John W. Felton Public Relations Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Center provides scholarships each year to two UA public relations students who achieve in the classroom and contribute to the community.  

Other Programs Sponsored or Supported by the Center

• The first Learning to Teach Seminar, PRSA and the Educators Academy
• Inez Kaiser Graduate Student Award, PR Division, AEJMC
• PRSA Foundation’s Endowment for PRSSA Scholarships 
• Graduate Student Research Award, PR Division, ICA
• Women in Public Relations Hall of Fame, Southeast Missouri State University
• International Interdisciplinary Research Conference, Institute for Public Relations