From the President's Desk: April is APR Month, and Here’s My APR Story

April ushers in the time of year that I love for a variety of reasons. Winter is slowly losing its grip on our weather (I hope!), school is wrapping up, and we’re making our plans for summer. April is also the month we celebrate the communications professionals who have earned their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).

I earned my APR in 2021, and let me tell you that it was quite a ride. I started it when I was still in Georgia as a way to increase my skills in PR, seeking a way to communicate the ROIs of PR campaigns clearly and consistently. I never dreamed that I would get another job opportunity, one that would bring me back home to Chicago, smack dab in the middle of that process.

But that’s what happened. Suddenly, I was moving from Columbus, Ga. to Chicago with my husband and my daughter, selling our house, and finding somewhere to live – and the year that I had to complete the APR wasn’t as long as it had seemed before. In fact, I was against the wire. But with the help of my mentor Edward M. Bury, APR, the PRDude who is an unwavering supporter of the credential, I made it in time to take the written test and present my project to the APR panel. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Here’s my advice for anyone considering pursuit of the APR: have your plan fully in place before you even apply. Enroll in your study course before you apply because once you submit that application, the clock starts to finish the entire process. Choose your project for the panel before you apply as well, and save yourself some stress in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Gaining the APR gave me more confidence in my work, full stop. The methodical approach shared in the coursework, the application of that process to the project for the panel presentation, and being evaluated by experienced APRs were all priceless experiences. I encourage every communications professional to go for their APR. You will be glad that you did!

Yours in Service,
Bridgette

Bridgette Russell, APR
President, PRSA Chicago