ACCREDITED IN PUBLIC RELATIONS (APR)

April is APR Month!

Where your career in public relations takes you is based on individual drive, determination and diligence. The Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation proves you have successfully demonstrated competency in the knowledge, skills and abilities required to practice public relations effectively in today’s business arena. Stay tuned for more information in next month’s newsletter about planned Chapter activities.

Recognized Standard

Established in 1964, the Accreditation Program is the profession’s only national post-graduate certification program. It measures a public relations practitioner’s fundamental knowledge of communications theory and its application; establishes advanced capabilities in research, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation; and demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence and ethical conduct. The skills acquired through the process are applicable to any industry or practice area. Currently, more than 5,000 professionals from the agency, corporate, association and education fields hold the APR mark, Harold Burson and Daniel J. Edelman notable among them. Granting of APR is overseen by the Universal Accreditation Board.

April Keynote Luncheon Speaker: Elise S. Mitchell, APR, Fellow PRSA

Friday, April 16, 2010, The Little Rock Club

Please join us in April for a discussion focused on how PR professionals can earn (and keep!) a seat at the management table through thought leadership strategy and management, as well as how to communicate the bottom-line benefits of PR to organization leadership. More details to come.

ELISE S. MITCHELL, APR, Fellow PRSA

Elise Mitchell holds a master's degree from the University of Memphis and a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. She is a member of the executive committee for the Public Relations Society of America's Counselor's Academy, is an active member of the PRSA College of Fellows, and has served as a board member of the PRSA Southwest District and as a national assembly delegate-at-large. Elise is a past president of the Northwest Arkansas and the Memphis PRSA chapters and has the distinction of being named "Professional of the Year" by both chapters.

In 2006, Elise was one of 12 individuals selected to the "All-Decade Class" for the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal's 10 years of "40 Under 40" honorees. In 2002, she was chosen as the "Northwest Arkansas Business Executive of the Year" and was a finalist in the statewide competition for "Arkansas Business Executive of the Year." Mitchell Communications Group was also named a finalist in the statewide 2007 and 2008 "Business of the Year" competitions. Elise received the 2003 "Athena" award winner for leadership and community service by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. She was also named as one of "Fayetteville's Young Top Five" in 2000.

Elise is a member of the executive committee of the Northwest Arkansas Council, and a member of the statewide Arkansas Women's Forum. She serves on the board of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Washington Regional Medical Foundation, Genesis Technology Incubator, Arvest Bank/Fayetteville, LifeSource International, and the statewide economic development group Accelerate Arkansas. She is a sustaining member of the Fayetteville Junior Civic League and the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas.

Spring 2010 APR Affair

Join us for an after-work, relaxed introductory session to learning more about the Accreditation process and all of the fun and scary things you may have heard about it. If you're committed to pursuing professional accreditation or simply contemplating it for the future, you probably have questions. PRSA Arkansas Accreditation Chairwoman Andrea Smalec, APR, is planning an informational jumpstart session for Thursday, April 15, at 5:30 p.m. in the private room at Copper Grill.

Among the topics will be:

• Determining If You're Ready

• Review of Accreditation Process

• Review of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities to be Tested

• Discussion of Readiness Review

• Examination Fee and Other Costs

• APR Candidate's Checklist and Schedule

• Open Q&A format

A minimum of 5 years of experience in public relations or related fields is recommended although not required. Please RSVP to asmalec@mwlaw.com. Information on the Accreditation process may also be found at http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Accreditation/.

WHAT IS THE APR?

APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective and sound professional judgment.

Interested? Download an APR checklist here.

THE SIX STEPS TO EARNING YOUR APR

1. Apply:  Once you’ve completed three to five years experience in the practice or teaching of public relations, complete and submit your application to PRSA National. For your convenience, the application is (PDF file) is available here.

2. Complete Readiness Review Questionnaire: After your APR application has been approved, you’ll be asked to complete the readiness review questionnaire which contains questions about your current role in public relations. To preview the Readiness Review Questionnaire, click here.

3. Request Readiness Review:  Following approval of your readiness review questionnaire, you may request that your readiness review be scheduled by your chapter’s accreditation chairman.

4. Participate in Readiness Review:  Under the guidance of your chapter’s APR chairman and two other accredited members, your portfolio will be reviewed and graded based upon the required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA’s).  For a complete listing of the KSA’s, click here.

5. Schedule Your Computer-Based Examination: If you successfully complete your readiness review, you will be advanced to schedule the computer-based examination.  To learn more about the examination, take part in an online demonstration of the exam here.

6. Take the Computer-Based Examination: Once you’ve been advanced to take the computer-based examination, you may schedule your examination. In central Arkansas, the Prometric Test Center (site number 5212) is located at 1405 N. Pierce Street, Forest Heights Building, Suite 203, Little Rock, AR 72207 (501) 663-8341.

To learn more about becoming Accredited in Public Relations, visit the PRSA Web site here.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ACCREDITATION?

The purpose of Accreditation is to unify and advance the profession by identifying those who have demonstrated broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment in the field of public relations. The program seeks to improve the practice of public relations. The APR distinction signifies a high professional level of experience and competence.

KEY RESOURCES FOR ACCREDITATION CANDIDATES

PRSA and the Arkansas Chapter have developed a wide variety of resources for accreditation candidates. All candidates should check out the following resources:

Becoming an APR
Learn more about the process of becoming Accredited in Public Relations here.

Competencies/KSA’s Tested
Examine the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA’s) tested throughout the Accreditation process here.

Code of Ethics
Central to the KSA’s tested throughout the Accreditation process is the PRSA Code of Ethics. View it here.

APR Study Guide
The First Edition APR Study Guide is a key tool in preparation for Accreditation in Public Relations and a tremendous resource for all APR candidates.  Produced by the Universal Accreditation Board, the guide is the product of many hours of research and evaluation. It contains exercises, case studies and insight into modern public relations practices.  And, it’s available at no cost to those pursuing Accreditation. Download this must-have PDF here.

OnLine2Learn
Although provided at an additional cost, this ten-module online course includes information on the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) covered in the Readiness Review and the Examination and was designed based on the topics and exercises included in other UAB study materials. Preview the multimedia course here.

READY TO EARN YOUR APR?
To learn more about the process, gather practical tips or request one-on-one coaching, contact PRSA Arkansas Chapter Accreditation Chairwoman, Andrea Smalec, APR, at asmalec@mwlaw.com or 501-688-8848. Isn’t it time you earned your APR?