Educators Academy

Deadline: Friday, May 29, 2026

PRSA’s Educators Academy invites public relations educators, graduate students, and professionals to submit competitive research papers, panel session proposals and teaching abstracts. Research papers and panel sessions will be presented during the PRSA Educators Academy Virtual Summit set for October 5, 2026. Great Ideas For Teaching (GIFT) poster presentations will be during the in-person session set for October 17 ahead of PRSA ICON, set for October 18-20 in Orlando, Florida.

Submissions must be submitted via Scholastica and are due by midnight EST on Friday, May 29, 2026. Those who submit entries will be notified of decisions by no later than June 30, 2026. At least one author of accepted teaching submissions must agree to present their work in person. At least one author of accepted research papers and all panel participants are required to present during the virtual sessions. 

Registration fee: Registration is required to attend PRSA Educators Academy Summit. Registration details will be available soon.

Research Paper Award Competitions

• PRSA Top Research Paper
• Top Ethics Paper
• Top GIFT
• Betsy Plank Graduate Research Competition Award - $1,000

*Please note, for co-authored papers, any award check is made out to the first author. Winners will be required to submit a W-9.

The Educators Academy is committed to supporting inclusion in our profession, classrooms, programming, and all other efforts. Therefore, all submissions should include moderators and panelists from a variety of perspectives. Please be cognizant of this important inclusion as you prepare your submission. The Educators Academy reserves the right to request that moderators of accepted panels include panelists representing a variety of perspectives. Our commitment to a multiple perspectives also means that we’re committed to displaying and showcasing diversity of thought throughout our programming. Panels should consist of academics from universities of different sizes and regions and represent people of different ages, cultures, ethnicities, genders, physical abilities, religions, and sexual orientations.

ALL submissions must be submitted via the PRSA Educators Academy Scholastica Page. Those submitting are strongly encouraged to review and prepare all required files before visiting the submission page.

Scholastica Submission Tips

• Call descriptions and requirements can be reviewed during the submission process by clicking “View submission guidelines.”  (located at the top of the page in the center).
  • This information is not required and one’s completion or incompleteness has no bearing on the acceptance decision for research or teaching submissions. It does, however, aid in our evaluation of panel participants. A panel idea/topic may be accepted, but demographic information will help us determine if panel makeup must be altered for considerations of perspective.
• The Scholastica site will ask for a “Primary manuscript submission.” This is where the research paper, teaching abstract, or panel proposal should be submitted.
• All other submission requirements should be uploaded under the “Additional files” field.
  

RESEARCH PAPER CALL

Research papers should test, refine, or expand public relations practice, research, or theory; or critically review issues relevant to public relations theory or research. We encourage critical/cultural scholars, qualitative scholars, quantitative scholars, and others to submit their research for consideration. At least one author must be a member of the PRSA Educators Academy at the time of presentation in October. The submission review process will include a blind peer review of papers by the PRSA Educators Academy Section Leadership.

Each presenter will give a 12-15-minute research presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session. Following the conference, authors may have their papers included in non-copyrighted conference proceedings, which will be available on the Educators Academy website.

Instructions for Submitting Research Papers

• Research papers must not exceed 25 double-spaced pages in 12-point font (including references and tables). Papers should include appropriate literature reviews, methodology descriptions, findings, and discussions. Any paper longer than 25-pages will be disqualified and not assigned for review.
• Research papers may not be under review simultaneously with any other conference; and/or any potential publication, including refereed journals, book chapters, etc.
• When submitting, the author(s) must provide the following files:
  1. A separate title page with the paper’s title, abstract (no more than 50 words), author(s), affiliation(s), title(s), phone number(s), email address(es), and social media information (i.e., X [Twitter] handle and LinkedIn page URL).
     • All authors and co-authors must be listed. No authors will be added after acceptance.
     • On the title page please place the words “graduate student submission” at the top of the page (before the title) if all authors are graduate students.
  2. Author bio(s) (30 words or less).
  3. Author headshot(s).
  4. A blinded paper. The paper and paper properties must not reveal the authors’ names or affiliations for the peer review. Author-identifying information on any pages will be grounds for immediate disqualification.

TEACHING ABSTRACTS POSTER SESSION (GIFT) CALL

This poster session will showcase best practices in education and/or provide examples of successful educational approaches, projects, and programs. Abstracts should refine, test, or present best practices or research related to public relations pedagogy. Authors are limited to only two abstract submissions (only one will be accepted).

The submission review process will include a blind peer review by the PRSA Educators Academy Section Leadership. All accepted submissions will be included in non-copyrighted conference proceedings, which will be available on the PRSA Educators Academy website.

Further instructions for the poster sessions will be provided following acceptance notification. At least one author must be a member of the PRSA Educators Academy at the time of presentation in October.

Instructions for Submitting Teaching Abstracts

• Total submission should not exceed five pages (excluding bio(s) and headshot(s)) and may not be under review simultaneously with any other conference and/or any potential publication.

• When submitting, the author(s) must provide the following information:
  1. A separate title page with the paper’s title, abstract (no more than 50 words), author(s), affiliation(s), title(s), phone number(s), email address(es), and social media information (i.e., Twitter handle and LinkedIn page URL).
  2. Author bio(s) (30 words or less).
  3. Author headshot(s).
  4. A one-page description of teaching idea include rationale for assignment, student learning goals, connection to PR Theory or practice, and evidence of student learning outcomes or assessment of student learning.
  5. Assignment details and any necessary instructions or examples.

PANEL PROPOSAL CALL 

Panel session proposals should address topics that benefit educators. Past panels have focused on such topics as integrating ethics into the curriculum, helping students obtain internships, incorporating mobile apps in the classroom, using AI in the classroom, and developing online portfolios. Panels should also consist of academics from universities of different sizes and regions.  A panel idea/topic may be accepted, but panel makeup changes may be requested following acceptance for considerations of perspective.

Each panel will have approximately 45 minutes to present followed by a question-and-answer session. Moderators will be asked to introduce panelists and lead the Q&A. Following the conference, panelists are asked to write a blog post regarding panel topics which will be available on the Educators Academy website. All panelists and moderators must attend the conference in person.

Instructions for Submitting Panel Session Proposals

• All panel proposals must include panelists who represent various perspectives and will be judged partly on the inclusion of those perspectives in the submission (i.e. racial, ethnic, and gender, as well as geographic locations of panel participants, types of institutions, and rank). Please be cognizant of this important inclusion as you prepare your submission. The Educators Academy reserves the right to request that organizers of accepted panels include panelists representing a variety of perspectives.
• Proposals should include a title, the names of up to three panelists with their affiliations, the moderator’s name and affiliation, and a brief description of the panel (100 to 150 words). The name and contact information of the panel organizer should be clearly identified.
• All panelists must be committed to participate in person.
• When submitting, the panel organizer must provide the following information:
  1. A separate title page with the panel’s title, panelists, affiliation(s), title(s), phone number(s), email address(es), and social media information (i.e., X [Twitter handle] and LinkedIn page URL).  All authors and co-authors must be listed. No authors will be added after acceptance (with the exception of requests from the PRSA Educators Academy Section Leadership).
  2. Panelist bio(s) (30 words or less).
  3. Panelist headshot(s).
  4. Moderator’s name, affiliation, bio (30 words or less) and social media information (i.e., Twitter handle, and LinkedIn page URL).
  5. Panel organizer's name, email address, and phone number.
  6. A separate panel description (100 to 150 words). The description must be blinded. The proposal and document properties must not reveal the panelists’, moderator’s, or organizer’s names or affiliations for the peer review. Identifying information on the panel description page will be grounds for immediate disqualification.

The submission review process will include:

• A final blind peer review of proposals by the PRSA Educators Academy Section Leadership.

IMPORTANT DATES

• May 29, 2026: Submissions due by midnight EST
• June 30, 2026: Acceptance notification

For additional information or inquiries regarding submissions, please contact the Research Chair, Christa Bell (cbell@mcneese.edu).