Samford University’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter has been selected by Ketchum Public Relations to participate in the company’s national Mindfire crowdsourcing initiative. 

Mindfire allows students across the United States to pitch ideas to top brands and nonprofit organizations with the purpose of solving “commercial, socially conscious and consumer responsibility challenges.” Cash prizes are awarded if the students’ ideas are selected by the client. 

“Our PRSSA chapter is excited to begin working with Ketchum and Mindfire,” said Betsy Emmons, associate professor of journalism and mass communication (JMC) and Samford PRSSA faculty adviser. “We know our students will benefit from this experience.” 

Emmons noted that the Ketchum partnership is the latest in a series of national recognitions for the Samford PRSSA chapter and public relations concentration in JMC. 

Samford’s PRSSA chapter was named a Star Chapter by the national PRSSA in November 2015, which recognizes university chapters that meet comprehensive programming, community outreach, scholarship and national governance participation goals. Chapter president Asia Burns, a junior JMC major, was awarded PRSSA’s Gary Yoshimura Scholarship in August 2016. Only one student each year is chosen to receive this scholarship. 

Samford’s Bateman Case Study team placed third nationally last spring in the annual national competition sponsored by PRSSA. The 2015 Bateman team had received honorable mention.

Jackie Long serves in recruitment and alumni affairs for the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.