K-Staters learn about everything from culture wars to AI media during a public relations conference in the power center of the U.S.
The world of public relations dips its toes into almost every area of communications — including politics.
From AI to culture wars, two K-Staters got an insider’s look at politics in the nation’s biggest PR conference, ICON.
At the Public Relations Society of America’s event, held this time in Washinton, D.C., Eric Shapland, Jacelyn Huelskamp and other K-State PRSSA executive members engaged in eye-opening conversations and presentations.
“After making connections at ICON, people remember you and where you’re from, which extends your network for the future,” Shapland said. “This experience is especially important in PR because the classroom can only teach you so much. There’s so many opportunities out there for PR students, and conferences like ICON help them to see the many paths they could take.”
At each ICON conference, speakers give industry-related advice, and their presentations are creatively based off the location of the conference — the Anaheim conference was Disney related and the D.C. conference was centered around political communications.
The events are the perfect setting for attendees to engage with professionals and gain experience to be used in their future careers. Not only that, but students get to connect with other students who are passionate about PR.
“It was really cool to see a bunch of other students who share your goals to be successful in their future,” Huelskamp said. “It was also great to share this experience with the other members of the K-State PRSSA exec team and get to know them better.”
The PRSSA club received funding from K-State to support executive team members attending the conference. The club hopes to increase funding next year so non-executive members can participate in this career- and confidence-boosting experience.
“It is so eye-opening and transformative and is a great opportunity to be surrounded by students and professionals who share the same passion for PR,” Shapland said. “I’ve been to two ICON conferences so far, and they are going to be the events I look back on and be grateful I took the chance to go.”
By Kate Ellwood