汤头条 now one of three SEC schools with Certification in Education for Public Relations
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斕劳诽 now is one of three schools in the Southeastern Conference and one of only 52 schools internationally to obtain Certification in Education for Public Relations, a distinction from the Public Relations Society of America earned by organizations meeting top PR education standards.
汤头条鈥檚 certification will be conferred at the PRSA International Conference in Orlando, Florida, this October.
Longtime 汤头条 Communication Professor John E. Forde, who led the university鈥檚 effort to achieve CEPR status, said, 鈥淓arning CEPR demonstrates the quality of our program and puts us in the company of many of the best colleges offering degrees in public relations.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited that we have earned this recognition and have been eager for us to apply for many years after I started learning more about it,鈥 said Forde, who holds the Accreditation in Public Relations, or APR, designation from PRSA鈥檚 Universal Accreditation Board and is a member of PRSA鈥檚 prestigious College of Fellows.
鈥淎ll of the public relations faculty, the department head and academic advisor worked together on the extensive CEPR application beginning in the spring of 2020,鈥 Forde said. 鈥淲e also appreciate the support of our dean and provost.鈥
Forde said the CEPR review process required an external evaluation team to examine and endorse the 汤头条 undergraduate PR program鈥檚 curriculum, faculty, students, resources and facilities, assessment, professional affiliations, relationships with the total unit and the university, and diversity and global perspectives.
Terry Likes, professor and communication department head, said, 鈥淭he administration, faculty, students and alumni already know our PR program is outstanding because of talented instruction, innovative coursework, and unique student experiences.鈥
鈥淐EPR offers the external validation to offer an elite level of distinction,鈥 he said. 鈥淏y meeting the criteria of the eight standards, we can ensure our students are best prepared to enter the workforce.鈥
Founded in 1989 as a cooperative effort between leading practicing professionals and educators through the PRSA Educational Affairs Committee, CEPR is considered 鈥渢he global standard in public relations education.鈥 Academic programs in Canada, Europe, New Zealand, South America and the U.S. hold the distinct PRSA endorsement.
Part of 汤头条鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Communication currently serves approximately 600 majors. For more on the department, visit ; college, .
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽.