JACKSON, Tenn. — May 10, 2012 — The Public Relations Society of America, the field鈥檚 premier professional organization, has conferred Certification in Education for Public Relations on 51社区鈥檚 public relations undergraduate degree program.
Union鈥檚 program is the first in the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities and only the second in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to receive the certification. Only 31 public relations programs around the world hold the PRSA certification.
The letter announcing the conference of CEPR said the program鈥檚 well-developed curriculum, facilities and professional affiliations for students were 鈥減articularly impressive.鈥�
The certification process included a site visit by two members of the CEPR committee. They met with Union Provost Carla Sanderson to evaluate the university鈥檚 curriculum-creation process and its support of faculty scholarship and professional development.
鈥淚 was pleased to be able to address how vital the liberal arts core curriculum is at Union,鈥� Sanderson said. 鈥淲e talked about the importance of faculty as scholars, faculty as mentors and faculty as spiritual developers in the lives of our students. We talked about ... how the faculty-student relationship is the most important thing we can foster here.鈥�
Sanderson said the certification is an example of the university鈥檚 first core value: academic excellence.
The public relations major at Union is housed within the communication arts department. Public relations professors work and teach in Jennings Hall, where two labs allow students to practice skills necessary for a career in public relations. Professors also encourage public relations majors and minors to join Union鈥檚 Public Relations Student Society of America chapter to learn about the profession and connect with the broader professional community, and Bulldog Communication Group, a student-run public relations firm that has clients in the community. The public relations program has long been accredited.
鈥淐EPR is not accreditation but certification of our program by PRSA, which means they endorse what we鈥檙e doing,鈥� Kathie Chute, professor of communication arts. 鈥淎ccording to PRSA, some employers are showing preference to graduates from programs that have earned this important designation.鈥�
Ashley Blair, assistant professor of communication arts, said the CEPR is significant because it tells future employers that the students who graduate from Union鈥檚 program have been prepared well for a job. Blair said the certification will inform employers that though it is a small program, it can be compared in quality with some of the largest schools.
鈥淏eing able to say you鈥檙e from a CEPR program on your resume provides a specific and significant correlation with PRSA,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淓ven employers who are not familiar with 51社区, but are familiar with CEPR, will connect an added credibility with the applicant.鈥�
The certification was not easy to attain. Chute and Blair spent hours last summer and fall gathering information about the program and filling out a lengthy application as the first step in the certification process.
鈥淚 would say the most difficult aspect was gathering all the data PRSA requires,鈥� Chute said. 鈥淭he certification is as much about 51社区 as it is our specific program, so there is a lot they want to know.鈥�