Membership

Membership Benefits

How can you benefit from joining the PRSA Central PA chapter?

Membership in a nationally recognized association can:

  • Enhance your attractiveness to employers
  • Increase your professional skills
  • Boost your networking connections
  • Elevate your standing with clients or senior management.

Our chapter produces regular programming throughout the year that highlights relevant topics in communication, with speakers from the region as well as across the country. Regular events also enable you to network and engage with other professionals, gaining new ideas and building connections that can benefit your current and future career. Members are also invited to summer and winter socials, which our chapter hosts in conjunction with other local organizations, to spread the fun and networking opportunities.

PRSA Central PA also holds an annual awards program where you can submit excellent work and gain recognition and reward for your efforts.

On top of all that, our members can access PRSA resources and have an outstanding track record attaining their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).

Chapter membership is open to anyone engaged in the practice or education of communications and public relations who is also a member of PRSA’s national organization, which organization boasts more than 30,000 members. Members agree to adhere to the PRSA Code of Ethics.

Your Investment

Dues for joining our chapter are $40 annually, and you can join at anytime. Memberships run from the month you join through the next 12 months. 

National PRSA membership is $225 annually, plus a $65 initiation fee if you are a first-time member.  A quarterly payment program is available for national membership. New professional rates are also available at a steep discount. 

If you’re a student, you can check out membership in PRSSA on your campus!

Professional Development

One of the most impactful benefits of your local and national membership is access to premium professional development and career resources, including:

  • Multiple annual national conferences at a discounted rate
  • Dozens of webinars released monthly and available on-demand for ongoing education via PRSA
  • Specialized certification programs centering on reputation management, crisis management, communicating to manage, and more.
  • Section conferences for certain practitioner types, including healthcare, independent practitioners, and others.
  • Access to APR workshops to achieve your certification
  • Discounted rates to national partner-program workshops and seminars
  • Local communications networking events in the Central PA chapter
  • Regular professional development seminars and webinars throughout the Central PA region

The topics at both the national and regional level cover a wide base of education, from internal communications to leadership strategy, and from advanced public relations to digital marketing communications. In any given month, you’re likely to find something to continue to sharpen your skills!

Testimonials

“The networking opportunities offered by PRSA Central PA come in all shapes and sizes; from having a drink on a boat with my peers to finding employees for my department. The people you meet at PRSA Central PA functions are the fun professionals who will become your friends, your mentors and even your co-workers.”

Janet Kacskos, APR, Fellow PRSA
Director of Communications
Millersville University

“After graduating college and being involved with PRSSA as a student, I wanted to continue learning and growing. Having a chapter of PRSA in our area allowed me the opportunity to connect to professionals, find mentors, get involved and learn new things. In addition to attending events, I joined the awards committee as a way to get involved and meet others. I am grateful to be involved a group of dedicated public relations professionals to learn from as a young public relations professional myself.”

 

Maggi Barton
Deputy Press Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Health

“When my husband’s job brought us to Central Pennsylvania (with infant twins in tow), our PRSA chapter was the one way I could stay engaged in the profession I love while taking care of my babies and adjusting to a new home and community. The networking and support I received in those early years was so valuable to me. It led to my serving as Chapter President and working on national committees. My involvement also connected me with new clients and ultimately, a full-time teaching job. I am so grateful for the professional connections and personal friends I have because of PRSA Central PA .”

Linda Burkley, APR, RMP
Lecturer, Susquehanna University
Principal, Ardis Communication Strategy

“Like so many PRSA members, my first connection to the society was as a member of PRSSA when I was a student at Shippensburg University. From those beginnings to my current role as Accreditation Chair for PRSA’s Central PA Chapter, the society has always provided such valuable opportunities for professional development, networking and giving back to the profession. PRSA membership plays an important role in raising the bar as a public relations professional!”

Jason Kirsch, APR,
Partner and Senior Counselor, PRworks

“Being a member of PRSA connects you with a network of PR professionals across the country. Personally, being a member of PRSA or PRSSA helped me attain every job along my career path. PRSA Central PA is one of the leading chapters in the nation with very committed members. Get involved by becoming a committee chair or member. You will get more out of it than you will ever put into it. You will also meet some of the nicest people.”

Liz Smith APR, MBA
President, Integrated Communications Ventures
Professor and Lead Facilitator of Communications

“My PRSA membership pays for itself in just the free webinars alone, but my involvement in the Central Pennsylvania Chapter has been the biggest benefit. We’ve been on a roll with great programming lately, but you can learn even more by getting involved and talking with other local PR professionals about the challenges they face in their jobs.”

Molly McGowan, APR
Media Services/PR Specialist
Phoenix Contact

Membership

Membership Benefits

How can you benefit from joining the PRSA Central PA chapter?

Membership in a nationally recognized association can:

  • Enhance your attractiveness to employers
  • Increase your professional skills
  • Boost your networking connections
  • Elevate your standing with clients or senior management.

Our chapter produces regular programming throughout the year that highlights relevant topics in communication, with speakers from the region as well as across the country. Regular events also enable you to network and engage with other professionals, gaining new ideas and building connections that can benefit your current and future career. Members are also invited to summer and winter socials, which our chapter hosts in conjunction with other local organizations, to spread the fun and networking opportunities.

PRSA Central PA also holds an annual awards program where you can submit excellent work and gain recognition and reward for your efforts.

On top of all that, our members can access PRSA resources and have an outstanding track record attaining their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).

Chapter membership is open to anyone engaged in the practice or education of communications and public relations who is also a member of PRSA’s national organization, which organization boasts more than 30,000 members. Members agree to adhere to the PRSA Code of Ethics.

Your Investment

Dues for joining our chapter are $40 annually, and you can join at anytime. Memberships run from the month you join through the next 12 months. 

National PRSA membership is $225 annually, plus a $65 initiation fee if you are a first-time member.  A quarterly payment program is available for national membership. New professional rates are also available at a steep discount. 

If you’re a student, you can check out membership in PRSSA on your campus!

Professional Development

One of the most impactful benefits of your local and national membership is access to premium professional development and career resources, including:

  • Multiple annual national conferences at a discounted rate
  • Dozens of webinars released monthly and available on-demand for ongoing education via PRSA
  • Specialized certification programs centering on reputation management, crisis management, communicating to manage, and more.
  • Section conferences for certain practitioner types, including healthcare, independent practitioners, and others.
  • Access to APR workshops to achieve your certification
  • Discounted rates to national partner-program workshops and seminars
  • Local communications networking events in the Central PA chapter
  • Regular professional development seminars and webinars throughout the Central PA region

The topics at both the national and regional level cover a wide base of education, from internal communications to leadership strategy, and from advanced public relations to digital marketing communications. In any given month, you’re likely to find something to continue to sharpen your skills!

Testimonials

“The networking opportunities offered by PRSA Central PA come in all shapes and sizes; from having a drink on a boat with my peers to finding employees for my department. The people you meet at PRSA Central PA functions are the fun professionals who will become your friends, your mentors and even your co-workers.”

Janet Kacskos, APR, Fellow PRSA
Director of Communications
Millersville University

“After graduating college and being involved with PRSSA as a student, I wanted to continue learning and growing. Having a chapter of PRSA in our area allowed me the opportunity to connect to professionals, find mentors, get involved and learn new things. In addition to attending events, I joined the awards committee as a way to get involved and meet others. I am grateful to be involved a group of dedicated public relations professionals to learn from as a young public relations professional myself.”

 

Maggi Barton
Deputy Press Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Health

“When my husband’s job brought us to Central Pennsylvania (with infant twins in tow), our PRSA chapter was the one way I could stay engaged in the profession I love while taking care of my babies and adjusting to a new home and community. The networking and support I received in those early years was so valuable to me. It led to my serving as Chapter President and working on national committees. My involvement also connected me with new clients and ultimately, a full-time teaching job. I am so grateful for the professional connections and personal friends I have because of PRSA Central PA .”

Linda Burkley, APR, RMP
Lecturer, Susquehanna University
Principal, Ardis Communication Strategy

“Like so many PRSA members, my first connection to the society was as a member of PRSSA when I was a student at Shippensburg University. From those beginnings to my current role as Accreditation Chair for PRSA’s Central PA Chapter, the society has always provided such valuable opportunities for professional development, networking and giving back to the profession. PRSA membership plays an important role in raising the bar as a public relations professional!”

Jason Kirsch, APR,
Partner and Senior Counselor, PRworks

“Being a member of PRSA connects you with a network of PR professionals across the country. Personally, being a member of PRSA or PRSSA helped me attain every job along my career path. PRSA Central PA is one of the leading chapters in the nation with very committed members. Get involved by becoming a committee chair or member. You will get more out of it than you will ever put into it. You will also meet some of the nicest people.”

Liz Smith APR, MBA
President, Integrated Communications Ventures
Professor and Lead Facilitator of Communications

“My PRSA membership pays for itself in just the free webinars alone, but my involvement in the Central Pennsylvania Chapter has been the biggest benefit. We’ve been on a roll with great programming lately, but you can learn even more by getting involved and talking with other local PR professionals about the challenges they face in their jobs.”

Molly McGowan, APR
Media Services/PR Specialist
Phoenix Contact