The Semesterly

Spring 2025

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Welcome!

It is hard to believe that my time as Promotions Director has come to a close so quickly. Within this role, I was given the opportunity to curate this semesters blog post. I have had the best experience working with this Executive Board and taking on a leadership role within PRSSA-UD. I was privileged to see and be a part of everything we accomplished this semester. I want to thank Emma, our Meetings Director, who helped us host an incredible and diverse group of guest speakers. At each general meeting we were able to gain valuable insights into the PR industry, make connections, and learn more about what our future careers will look like.

One of the highlights of the semester was our annual Night with the PRos event. This experience gave us an inside look at working in all sectors of Public Relations from sports communication to doing social media work for Broadway. We were able to learn so much from each of our four panelists and network with them as well. Thank you Grace, our Director of External Affairs, for organizing and moderating such an amazing event. This year our chapter accomplished so much, and we were even awarded Overall RSO Achievement at the YouDee Awards.

Serving as the Promotions Director has been an amazing experience. I have grown my skills in social media, content creation, and writing. Throughout my first year on the Executive Board I have gotten the opportunity to work with so many amazing women that have helped me flourish in my position. I am so excited that I get to serve for one more year with this amazing group as Vice President, and I can't wait to see what we accomplish next!

Looking forward for whats to come!

Aubrey

Promotions Director, PRSSA University of Delaware

A Letter From The President

Hi PRSSA-UD family, what a semester it has been! At the beginning of this term, we established a common goal as an executive board to leave this chapter better than we found it. It served as the guiding force of our efforts over the past few months, and I can confidently say that we have accomplished our mission. We’ve grown our dues-paying member pool exponentially, hosted our largest events in the chapter’s history, and learned from professionals who lead public relations for multi-billion-dollar companies. Our success wouldn’t be possible without our executive board’s commitment, the Department of Communication’s endless support, and our community’s passion. I’m so proud of the model chapter we’ve cultivated this semester!

This spring, we hosted six general meetings, five distinguished guest speakers, two insightful skill slams, one profit share fundraising event in partnership with Honeygrow, and coffee with a professor featuring Professor Steve Momorella. Our Meetings Director, Emma Schneider, secured professionals from Sephora UK, Hunter PR, Ralph Lauren, Wohl Communications, and Beebe Healthcare to share practical career advice with our members in person and virtually. Grace Kearns, our Director of External Affairs, spearheaded the reimagination of our Night with the PRos event, opening the panel up to UD students from all disciplines, inviting surrounding PRSSA chapters to join us, and amping up the production by hosting it in the Trabant Student Center. Our student-run firm and micro-internship program, Public PRactice, had yet another spectacular run led by Brooke Cooney (Director of Internal Professional Development), who coached a group of six members to create social media content for OhSoCycle, a local Newark cycling studio. Our semester wrapped up with two of our most notable accomplishments. As a result of our incredible growth over the past two years, our chapter was selected as 1 of 4 award winners, out of 30+ nominees from a pool of over 400 registered student organizations on campus, to receive the Outstanding Overall Achievement Award at the YouDee Awards. The celebration continued the next day as we headed on our Spring Field Trip to speak with the Philadelphia Eagles Communication Team at Lincoln Financial Field following their recent Super Bowl championship, one of our coolest active learning experiences to date.

In March, we set our sights on chapter development opportunities outside of the Delaware borders, attending two out-of-state PRSSA conferences. At the top of the month, Megan Emmerling (Director of Finance) and I embarked on a weekend-long journey to Charlotte, North Carolina, to attend the 2025 PRSSA Leadership Assembly. We spent three days engaging in interactive seminars, voting on bylaw amendments, and swapping tips with student leaders from all over the world. During spring break, I drove over to our friendly neighbors at Temple University PRSSA in Philadelphia, where the 2025 Mid-Atlantic District Conference was held, to represent UD, learn about sports communications, and strengthen our relationship with nearby chapters.

Before I close, I must take a moment to recognize the Class of 2025, and specifically, the six graduating seniors on our executive board who left an everlasting impact on our chapter: Anna Gleason, Brooke Cooney, Grace Kearns, Grace Mullin, Laura Santangelo, and Megan Emmerling. You are the most accomplished, ambitious, kind, and fun group of women I’ve ever had the pleasure of working beside. I’m so incredibly proud to call you all professional peers and friends. From our weekly executive board meetings to ICON travel adventures, we have built a bank of wonderful memories that I will cherish forever. I will always be rooting for you girls and can’t thank you enough for everything you have contributed to PRSSA-UD. Raising a glass of P.F. Chang’s lemonade in your honor!

So, what’s next for PRSSA-UD? Enhanced execution, same mission. I’m ecstatic to continue working with our current executive board members, Aubrey Hill as our incoming Vice President and Emma Schneider as our incoming Promotions Director, two amazing women who have spent the last year dedicated to advancing our chapter. Together, we have the pleasure of welcoming Alexandra Briggs, Catherine Corrado, Gianna Furth, Laila Broussard, Lucy Taylor, and Taylor Mitchell to the executive board! We will collaborate to continue creating bigger and better experiences for our members, strengthening our chapter one meeting at a time.

Have a great summer, PRSSA-UD! I wish all of you the best in your internships, jobs, travels, and activities. See you all in the fall for my final year of presidency!

Until then,

Kaylee Louima

President, PRSSA University of Delaware

Our Executive Board 2024-2025

Kaylee Louima

President

Megan Emmerling

Director of Finance

Anna Gleason

Vice President

Grace Kearns

Director of External Affairs

Laura Santangelo

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Aubrey Hill

Promotions Director

Grace Mullin

Director of Member Communication

Emma Schneider

Meetings Director

Brooke Cooney

Director of Internal Professional Development

We are SO excited to announce next years

Kaylee Louima

President

Kaylee is a senior Communication major with a Public Relations concentration and a double minor in Fashion Management and Event Management. She joined PRSSA her freshman year and it has allowed her to expand her network, travel, and become an expert in her field. She has thoroughly enjoyed giving her support back to the organization by serving on the executive board, first as Meetings Director and now as President.

Kaylee can’t wait to continue leading this chapter’s momentous trajectory and to form bonds with this year’s executive board members! Additionally, she's excited about the new programs and opportunities we’ll launch for our community this year. Outside of PRSSA, Kaylee is passionate about traveling, fashion, business, and matcha.

Executive Board 2025-2026

Congratulations to Our Seniors!

Thank you for a great semester!

Laura Santangelo

Getting to develop the position of DEI Director over the past year has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Getting to attend ICON the national conference expanded my knowledge and understanding of endless key principles of PR. This past year has solidified my love of PR even more and allowed me be fully confident in pursing a career in this field. I am so proud of how I have been able to grow and develop this position into something bigger and stronger. Getting to host the annual DEI panel was a huge accomplishment for me as well as an enriching event for our members. I am so grateful for the friendship, hard work and camaraderie with the rest of the executive board this past year. I am so excited to see everyone grow into their future careers in PR! Thank you to all the dedicated members and board members for turning this club into the powerhouse it has turned into. I will be endlessly grateful for PRSSA and all the experience it has given me!

Megan Emmerling

Serving as the Director of Finance for UD's chapter of PRSSA for the last two years has been so amazing and impactful. I've watched this chapter and myself grow over the years and couldn't be prouder. My administrative, event planning, and business centered skills have developed so much with my responsibilities related to finances. Attending PRSSA's ICON annual conference has been a highlight with attending countless informative sessions and networking events. I am especially proud of the executive board's work to be awarded a grant from the Blue Hen Investment Club and the YouDee award for Overall RSO achievement. Thank you to all of the hardworking, talented women on the executive board and our PRSSA chapter as a whole for such an amazing experience and friendships!

Grace Mullin

Serving as the Director of Member Communication for PRSSA-UD's executive board for the 2024-2025 school was such an honor and a privilege. I learned how to write clearly and concisely to ensure all members were accurately informed on the opportunities available to them through our organization. I also started communication on GroupMe this year, which has been a great way to interact with members more efficiently. In addition, we have seen a great increase in attendance for meetings this year since implementing GroupMe. My favorite memory as a member of PRSSA is attending ICON in Anaheim, California. It was a great bonding experience for our board and allowed me to network with like-minded individuals from across the world. I learned so much about the PR industry by attending the general and keynote sessions that I will carry with me throughout my career. I am so beyond proud of every member of our organization, but especially the current and new executive boards. I can't wait to see all the great things everyone accomplishes.

Anna Gleason

Serving on the Executive Board of PRSSA the past two years has been a truly unforgettable experience. From networking with professionals, communicating closely with our members, and working tirelessly with the rest of the board, I have found the most incredible community. This past year as Vice President has been particularly rewarding. Fundraising for ICON in the fall was no easy task, but it was so special knowing our attendance was in part due to my commitment and hard work. This feeling grew even deeper after winning the YouDee Award for Outstanding RSO. While I wasn't able to attend the ceremony, knowing my submission was read amongst the crowd still feels surreal. There really are not sufficient words to describe just how thankful I am for this organization and the lifelong friends it has given me. PRSSA is one of the most important and lasting memories of my college experience, and I could not be more proud of everything we've achieved.

Grace Kearns

It has been an honor to serve as the Director of External Affairs for PRSSA-UD this past year. Coordinating the Fall Field Trip to Athena provided me with valuable event planning experience, which has supported me in my current internship position. Monitoring the Mentor-Mentee program exposed me to different fields within public relations and broadened our organization’s professional network. Planning Night with the Pros was an incredible experience— It was so exciting to expand this year’s event, engage with panelists from 4 different industries, and moderate my first panel. Lastly, as a lifelong Eagles fan, organizing our visit to Lincoln Financial Field was a highlight of my senior spring. Joining PRSSA was the best decision I made in college, leading me to take advantage of career-based opportunities, build relationships with my fellow PR students, and contribute to the professional development of younger students. Thank you to everyone who made this year the best one yet! I look forward to seeing next year’s executive board continue to grow this organization.

Brooke Cooney

As this years Director of Internal Professional Development, my most meaningful moments come in sets of fours. I have learnt more about myself, my own abilities, experienced irreplaceable moments and made lifelong connections. I had the pleasure of hosting four skill slam workshops where I was able to share PR skills with each member, strengthen my own professional developement and challenge my public presentation skills. Not only did we become better PR professionals together, but I was able to grow close to each member attending in the meantime. I managed four teams of interns, partnering with local businesses to elevate their social media presences and PR efforts. I was able to strengthen my leadership abilities while helping fellow members of PRSSA notice their personal potential and grow their own skills through real-world client work and relations. Finally and perhaps my favorite moment was the four special days I spend with my lovely executive board at ICON2024. Attending this conference allowed me to expand my professional network, earn fresh perspectives, and create memories that will far surpass my time in PRSSA. 4 skill slams, 4 Public PRactice teams, 4 days at ICON2024 and 4 years of school that wouldn’t be complete if I hadn’t joined PRSSA. Throughout my four years at UD, these sets of four have become a key part to my growth as not only a PR professional but also personally, for that I will always be thankful for PRSSA.

Our Field Trip to the Lincoln Financial Field

Huge thanks to Grace, our Director of External Affairs, for organizing an incredible field trip to Lincoln Financial Field! We got an exclusive tour of the facilities, including the locker room, press conference room, press box, and more. A highlight was the Q&A session where we gained insights into sports communication and what it’s like to work with an NFL team. Our hosts, the Communication Coordinators, shared their roles, from managing media relations to compiling stats and communicating with players.

2025 PRSSA Leadership Assembly

From March 6-8, Megan Emmerling and Kaylee Louima attended the 2025 PRSSA Leadership Assembly in Charlotte, NC, where student leaders from across the world gathered for a weekend of learning and collaboration. The event featured engaging seminars, voting on bylaw amendments, and valuable chapter development tips. During their free time, they had the chance to explore the city, network, and even enjoy a spontaneous Hornets basketball game. It was an inspiring weekend filled with insights, connections, and unforgettable experiences.

Game On: PR in Sports - 2025 PRSSA Mid-Atlantic District Conference
hosted by Temple University

On March 28th-29th, Kaylee Louima attended the Game On: PR in Sports 2025 PRSSA Mid-Atlantic District Conference hosted by Temple University in Philadelphia, PA to represent our chapter. The event provided a unique opportunity to learn about sports communication from professionals that have experience working for iconic sports teams like the Eagles, 76ers, Flyers, and Phillies. Kaylee also had the chance to connect with fellow chapter leaders and network with some of Philadelphia’s PR legends.

Public PRactice

Public PRactice is a micro-internship opportunity for our dues-paying members to gain experience managing the social media accounts of local businesses. This semester, our Director of Internal Professional Development, Brooke, continued and enhanced our relationship with OhSoCycle, a local cycling business in Newark, DE. Big shoutout to our amazing team this semester as they worked together to create amazing content, social media calendars, and more!

Sabina Ellahi

We were thrilled to welcome Sabina Ellahi, Head of PR & Communications at Sephora UK and proud UD alum, as our first guest speaker of the semester! With a passion for storytelling and the beauty industry, Sabina shared her inspiring journey—from her days as a Blue Hen to earning her master’s in London and building a successful career in beauty PR.

General Meeting Recaps

Night With The PRos

We were so excited to host our four panelists Will Nunery, Melissa Howard, Meghan O'Donnell, and Jacob Malizio to our annual Night with the PRos event. We gained valuable insights and advice from professionals in different sectors of the PR world. Our talented panelists shared industry highlights and personal experiences and attendees had the opportunity to network following the discussion. A special shoutout to Grace Kearns, our Director of External Affairs, for her amazing work in organizing and moderating this event!

Skill Slams

Brooke Cooney, our Director of Internal Professional Development, hosted two engaging skill slams this semester. She kicked off the semester teaching us all things interview. She went through all the different types of interviews, the best ways to plan, and how to expand our network through informational interviews. After this skill slam, everyone felt prepared to nail their next interview! For her second skill slam she taught us all things pitching the media. She walked us through all the essentials, from media outreach and building media lists to crafting pitches and eventually clipping your results. She even included an interactive activity to put our newfound skills to use!

2025 YouDee Awards

At the end of this semester Kaylee, Aubrey, Emma, and Grace attended the YouDee Awards to represent our chapter of PRSSA. After a successful year that included impactful fundraising for ICON, reinstating the DEI position, recieving a grant from the Blue Hen Investment Club, and becoming more established and supported as an organization, we were awarded the YouDee Award for Overall RSO Achievement!