UAB Accreditation Tips and Tools — March 2018

April is APR month!

APR month is just around the corner. What is your Chapter or participating organization doing to celebrate its members who have earned Accreditation? Here are a few ideas:

• Special shout-out to APRs during your April meeting – Ask all Accredited members to remain standing while the names are read. If you have practitioners who earned APR in the last year, consider awarding them with an APR pin.
• Host an APR happy hour – Invite Chapter APRs and interested candidates to chat informally about Accreditation goals in 2018. Be sure to have APR chair business cards and brochures on hand for more information. Have a sign-up sheet for an APR study group.
• APR-only networking lunch – Celebrate your APR accomplishments with other Accredited professionals. Have each APR identify one candidate (or potential candidate) to mentor in the coming year.Promote APR Online Study Course

Let’s get “social”

April is a great month to activate your social media engagement and support Accreditation. So take a few minutes to “follow, share and comment” to help others earn their APR, and share your unique insights on the program:

• Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AccreditationinPR
• Twitter:  @PRaccred
• LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/groups/58342 (Accreditation in Public Relations)
• Consider writing a blog post for PRsay

Commit to the next generation of APRs

The Certificate in Principles of Public Relations is offered to PR/communications students six months before or after graduation. Help students “Stand Out When (They) Start Out.” Did you know that nearly 12 percent of students who have taken the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations examination studied and prepared thanks to their local Chapter and/or PR professional? Or that roughly 10 percent had a local PR professional as their mentor throughout the process? Your role and leadership is invaluable!

Here are a few ways your Chapter can help to support the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations:

• Connect with your local colleges/universities to let them know about the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations. Volunteer to serve as a guest speaker and integrate the Certificate discussion into your message.
• Encourage senior students and/or recent grads to pursue the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations.
• Recruit local APRs and PR professionals to serve as mentors to students/young professionals pursuing the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations.
• Offer local APRs to serve as presenters at local colleges’ study courses for the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations Examination.
• Consider offering study groups/classes to help student prepare for the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations Examination.

Many resources can be accessed in our “Stand Out When You Start Out” Campaign Toolkit.