Hilary Carter
Hey you! Are you looking to be more involved in the public relations field? If your answer is yes, then you’re going to want to keep reading. Take this short true or false quiz to see just how much you know (or don’t know) about CPRS.
CPRS stands for Canadian Professional Relations Society, and includes more than just public relations practitioners. True or False?
False: CPRS actually stands for Canadian Public Relations Society, and focuses solely on public relations practice. CPRS helps PR practitioners serve the public interest. All members of CPRS pledge to follow the code of professional standards (found at www.cprs.ca). This helps to ensure professionals are practicing public relations with only the highest possible ethical standards.
Public relations students can be members of their local societies if they are enrolled in a public relations program at college/university. True or False?
True: There are local societies within CPRS where you can become a student member, for just 20 dollars. This means you are able to receive scholarships and awards, attend conferences, workshops, and seminars. CPRSNS awards a $1,000 scholarship every year to a student in their final year of PR at Mount Saint Vincent University. The 2013 Ruth Hammond Scholarship went to Leanne Tremblay of Bedford.
Awards aren’t only given out to students. CPRS has annual Awards of Excellence that recognize public relations programs and projects.
True: These awards are rewarded by both nomination and self submitted work. They are the most prestigious public relations awards in Canada. However, you cannot qualify to receive these awards if you are not a member of the CPRS. Mount Saint Vincent University has been affiliated with awards such as the Edelman-Stanley Houston Award. You could be the proud recipient of one of these awards.
Getting a decent job in public relations would require you to move out West because that’s where all the opportunities are.
False: Currently, CPRS has a posting in Toronto as a Media Relations Advisor with Public Health Ontario and the salary could be anywhere from $72,000 to $100,000. It is true that there are many jobs out West if that’s what you’re interested in. However, if you are content to stay in Nova Scotia, there are plenty of opportunities out there. CPRSNS posts job listings in Nova Scotia and across the country.
CPRS is a non-profit organization.
True: Non-profit, or not for profit, means that the society does not make a profit from their work. All of the money that CPRS receives goes towards meeting its objectives; to further the success of the public relations in Canada.
As a third year public relations student, I am a little ashamed to say I knew very little of Canadian Public Relations Society before now. But thankfully, it’s not too late for me to get involved. And it’s not too late for you either. Through my research I have learned more than I had previously, but I know there is still so much more I have yet to learn. The first step in learning and getting involved is by signing up to become a student member of Canadian Public Relations Society at http://www.cprsns.com/students
Thanks for this Hilary. Worth noting too that that CPRS Nova Scotia also advises regularly of local and regional PR related job vacancies via Twitter. Follow @cprsns. And we have our first PD session of the fall a week from today on Sept. 19, 12 noon-1:30 p.m. at the Weston Halifax, with Amy Thurlow of MSVU reviewing findings on current trends and mission-critical issues facing PR in Canada from the newly completed GAP (Generallly Accepted Practices) study that Amy and her team from MSVU carried out on behalf of CPRS. CPRS-NS student members $15, student non-members $20. Meal included. For more details or to register email Pat Brownlow NLT Sept 17 at pbrownlow@ns.sympatico.ca