Wow, thanks for the great comment.

The current real-world experience– whether by the professors themselves or people they bring in– is probably one of the keys to making sure curricula are up-to-date. by the way– I’d be happy to speak with your class sometime.

As for PRSA, I am betting that the chapters have more to do with direct development than the national organization. Boston is agency-heavy and I would agree they dominate the events I have been to. Perhaps boutiques and sole practitioners need to band together to stand out, because they could be there and we’re not hearing them.

Outside of Boston, I spoke in front of a Yankee Chapter meeting in New Hampshire (thanks to chip Griffin of CustomScoop and Media Bullseye almost two years ago, and that group was not at all agency-focused. There were a lot more government and education-focused people that I noticed.

Also, back to the Boston chapter, I noticed over the last two years a growing savvy about social media. I think the social media evolution we want now will come with patience.

I try to include some form of social media interaction / project in every course I teach, by the way. It isn’t something that necessarily needs to be taught in a separate course. It needs to be interwoven into all PR practice, when applicable.

One of the best aspects of all these new avenues for PR discussion is the exposure our students (and the faculty) have to practitioners from around the world. Perhaps we can do a phone or video interview with you during the coming semester, for example. Students learn so much from these interviews. And, prior to the tools available today, when/how could I have provided these opportunities for students? Rarely, if ever.

An aside for you. Regarding the interview with PRSA’s Michael Cherenson, you state that “the association encompasses all PR”. Actually, PRSA is open to all aspects, but the membership is agency and student heavy. They do not have great reach into the largest areas of PR practice in the US (or elsewhere, I hasten to guess). The largest populations of PR practitioners in the US are in single practitioner in-house, state/local governments, and nonprofits. Yes, PRSA has members from some of those areas, but that membership doesn’t come close to the total of agency & student members (when you combine PRSA & PRSSA – as they do when promoting their total membership).

That said, I too believe they should embrace all forms of emerging digital media. When William Murray first became COO, I interviewed him and encouraged them to embrace it. They’ve been slow to act. Their first effort at the recent convention was held in a venue without wifi. Sigh. Well, everyone has to learn. Like I said above, the process is slow (and, at times, frustrating).

“Relationships” are important, and that puts you ahead of a lot of practitioners– though a good pitch overcomes all other factors.