PRSSA To Launch New Chapters at Nevada State College and Niagara University

NEW YORK, April 20, 2023 – PRSSA today announced it will be establishing new Chapters at Nevada State College (NSC) and Niagara University (NU). The foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications, PRSSA advocates rigorous academic standards for public relations education, the highest ethical principles, and diversity in the profession.

“It is a true honor to work with schools that recognize the importance of supporting students as they pursue future careers in PR, and Nevada State College and Niagara University have proven that they take their roles as academic training grounds very seriously,” said Michelle Egan, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2023 PRSA Chair. “We look forward to working closely with them as PRSSA becomes an increasingly important presence in their communities.”

Seseer Mou-Danha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Communication, will serve as faculty adviser at NSC, and Joseph Sirianni, Associate Professor of Communications and Media Studies, will serve as faculty adviser at NU.

“I’m very excited to have a PRSSA chapter at Niagara,” said Sirianni. “Prior to this, our students established a public relations club which served them well, but being part of something bigger and more prestigious will be much more beneficial to them.”

Niagara students earn either a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies or a B.S. in Marketing.

Srianni teaches courses on media writing, and film and television studies. His research interests have included technology “mis-utilization,” nostalgia-based television, and LGBTQ+ studies. He holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from the University at Buffalo SUNY and in 2019 was awarded the Niagara University Excellence in Teaching Award. 

“I am excited for the enhanced learning opportunities that will come with the NSC Chapter of PRSSA,” said Mou-Danha. “I look forward to the events, conferences, competitions, access to experts and practitioners in the field, internships, and scholarships, to mention a few, that students at Nevada State will have access to with the charter. I am especially glad that our students, who are future PR professionals, will be even better equipped to enter the industry.”  

Nevada State College students earn a B.A. in Communication.

Mou-Danha’s background in communication education, research, and scholarship spans almost a decade, with a specialty in strategic communications and media studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Media Studies from North Dakota State University, an M.A. from Western Michigan University, and a B.A. from Bowen University Nigeria.

About the Public Relations Student Society of America  
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. Since 1967, PRSSA has served hundreds of thousands of student members, offering educational programs, resources, scholarships, and mentorship opportunities that prepare students for a successful career in communications. For nearly 50 years, the organization has hosted the Bateman Case Study Competition, which challenges student teams to implement a public relations campaign for an actual client. PRSSA is active on college and university campuses across the U.S., as well as Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.prssa.org.

About Nevada State College
Nevada State College, a four-year Minority Serving public institution with a statewide mission, is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning and committed to the advancement of a diverse and largely under-served student population. Designated a Hispanic Serving (HSI) and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Institution (AANAPI), NSC is a college where teaching and student support are valued above all else. A majority of our students are first generation, racial/ethnic minorities, parents, and/or returning students, of which 45% are Hispanic, 14% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 9% are Black/African American, 24% are White, and 9% are multiracial. We celebrate the storied backgrounds of our campus community. We operate with a shared commitment to represent and serve the diverse population of Nevada and to encourage the exchange of ideas that respects and honors the lived experiences of our students, staff, and faculty. We foster a culture of inclusive excellence so our members can live authentically, fully engage, and flourish. In order to strengthen the college and progress its mission, the college dedicates itself to intentional and ongoing reflection to meeting the evolving needs of NSC, the surrounding communities, and the State of Nevada.

About Niagara University
Founded by the Vincentian community in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive institution, blending the best of a liberal arts and professional education, grounded in our values-based Catholic tradition. Its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management, and Nursing offer programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral level.

As the first Vincentian university established in the United States, Niagara prepares students for personal and professional success while emphasizing service to the community in honor of St. Vincent de Paul. Niagara’s institutional commitment to service-learning has led to its inclusion on the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service every year since its inception in 2006, and its recognition with the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement.

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Media Contacts:
PRSA:
Rod Granger
PRSSA
212-460-0207
rod.granger@prsa.org

Nevada State College:
Nick Claus
702-992-2365
Nick.Claus@nsc.edu

Niagara University:
Tom Burns
716.286.8580
tburns@niagara.edu