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 Accredit...

Wow, 2025 has been a long year. As a millennial (granted, I’m an elder millennial which seems a little rude, but I’ll allow it), I long for some precedented times. With all the things going on right now, the uncertainty can be daunting. In fact, it may seem like a really good time to ...

Since graduating from Loyola University, Ann has worked in a variety of marketing and communications roles. When Ann started in her current position at Smithbucklin focusing purely on communications, she found that she really enjoyed it. This led her to enroll in Northwestern University's Master o...

Dear Fellow Communicators,  It’s February, and the shortest month of the year is full of treats. It’s Black History Month, and Valentine’s Day is always fun, too. I would like to highlight our D&I Committee’s Black History Month campaign, which you can find on ou...

By Edward M. Bury, MA, APRPublic Information CoordinatorThe Urban Transportation Institute at UIC Twenty years ago, I earned my Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), one of my most proud accomplishments. The APR credential signifies a commitment to advancing the principles of ethical and ...

We are halfway through the first month of 2025, and already, we find ourselves in for quite the ride! Of course, our thoughts are with all those who may be affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. As PR practitioners, some of our colleagues may be worried about saving their own livelihoods and h...

At the beginning of this year, we made a commitment to you that PRSA Chicago will continue to build an environment EVERYONE would want to and COULD be a part of—from rising professionals to seasoned leaders. We committed to empowering our members to ensure awareness that everyone’s vo...

The right to participate in the democratic process and have our voices heard can be an amazing thing to witness. For me, as a naturalized citizen, I have a special appreciation for the opportunity to vote in local, state and federal elections and take pride in occasionally participating in civil d...

Summers in Chicago are special. Those of us who know it’s a limited window tend to savor the vibrancy of the city and revel in it as much as possible before cooler days begin to take hold. While we continue to power through what’s left of summer with street festivals, outdoor concerts,...

Ethics Insights: The Value of Civil Discourse for PR ProsBy Joyce Lofstrom, MS, APR, Fellow PRSA As I considered a topic for this column, I asked some of my fellow PRSA Chicago board members, “What topic should I cover?” The answer was relevant—how to talk civilly in our curre...