To commit to bringing diversity and inclusion initiatives to the field of public relations, Temple’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter and student-run public relations firm PRowl Public Relations are leading student organizations by becoming the first and only pre-professional student organization and student-run firm to join forces with the Diversity Action Alliance, respectively.
The Diversity Action Alliance is a coalition of communication leaders and professionals working to improve the recruitment, retention and representation of under-represented groups in public relations management. Klein College of Media and Communication Diversity Advisor to the Dean and Public Relations Professor David W. Brown serves on their advisory council. By joining the Diversity Action Alliance, Temple PRSSA and PRowl are supporting, learning and growing their own initiative to ensure no one feels alienated or underrepresented in their journey from student to professional.
As a community of communication pre-professionals on Temple University's campus, PRowl understands the public relations profession's power in telling diverse stories, particularly those from people of color. Firm Director Jordan Harris has made it a main priority of PRowl to foster an inclusive environment for the organization. PRowl wants to prolong and encourage long-term diversity and inclusion change.
"By signing the Diversity Action Alliance, PRowl is making an active effort to hire, build, and amplify relationships with people of varying races, backgrounds, ages, and skill sets to diversify our work and better create an accurate representation for all people and our clients.” says Harris.
Alumna Haniya Shariff, KLN ’20, was the Temple PRSSA chapter’s first Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Currently, she serves as the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSA) National Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, implementing new initiatives in college chapters nationwide. While at Temple, she educated PRSSA members on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the field. As a part of Temple PRSSA’s renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion, the chapter is now developing a diversity and inclusion committee.
“Temple PRSSA is committing to adopting best practices, championing the cause and to tracking diversity. By signing the commitment with the Diversity Action Alliance, it allows us to be held to the same standards as our industry partners,” said PRSSA Chapter President Mackenzi Hockensmith. “As a student organization, we help foster growth and leadership within our members. This opportunity allows us to grow as a chapter to work towards full equity and inclusion.”
The goals of both organizations are to pledge support to diversity and inclusion by creating an environment in which all members feel welcome, and to achieve tangible and meaningful results in each aspect of diversity, equity and inclusion. Temple University’s student body is endlessly diverse, and both of these organizations take pride in standing at the forefront of creating meaningful change for all students.