Purdue PRSSA Web site

By Carrie Reed
Junior, Public Relations

After attending the Public Relations Student Society of America National  Conference, one member of Purdue's PRSSA chapter returned to campus with a mission: to start a student-run public relations firm at Purdue.

Junior Laura Sivy met with members of PRSSA chapters from schools around the nation to see how their firms ran and also to develop ideas about what would work best for a firm at Purdue. Once she returned to campus, an addition was made to Purdue's PRSSA: Boiler Communications.

"It's a small thing to start doing, especially for Purdue, PRSSA and the Communication Department, to go to the next level," Sivy said.

Before Boiler Communications started full throttle, Sivy worked on getting some potential clients so members who wanted to join would have work to do.

The fall 2007 semester marked the first trial and error session for Boiler Communications.  At first approximately 15 members joined the firm; now, there are 20 staffers.

Staff members of Boiler Communications meet with their groups and clients at their own times.  According to Sivy, some of the clients the firm does work for include the Boiler Advancement Program, the Department of Communication, and the Red Cross.

They are responsible for rolling out press releases and publishing fliers.  They also give feedback to their clients for improvement of their organizations.

Boiler Communications receives donations to help pay for promotions and money used for client's publications.  The actual public relations work is free.

The work staff members are involved in gives them a good outlet to build a portfolio, Sivy said.  It gives members a chance to develop personally and professionally, and build knowledge and skills while working with real clients.

"They get that much more of an edge for internships," Sivy said.

Boiler Communications member Valerie Karczewski, a junior, is an account executive with the client Boiler Advancement Program.  She said the work Boiler Communications members do is a lot, but said it gives them that much more hands-on experience.

To become a staff member of Boiler Communications, students should join PRSSA.  Sivy said that the majority of staff members must be members of PRSSA, but a handful do not have to be in the organization.

Despite all the hard work that members of Boiler Communications endure, both Sivy and Karczewski said that it's well worth it and that there was a need for a student-run public relations firm.

"Boiler Communications is a very important thing to bring to Purdue," Sivy said.