A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRSA Silicon Valley, a community-driven organization focused on empowering communications professionals in Silicon Valley, has awarded four Bay Area undergraduate students $2,500 each in funding to support their education. For the past four years, the Chapter has awarded financial support to diverse students making an impact in the communications field, furthering the Chapter’s commitment to closing the gap between talent and opportunity and nurturing a more diverse workforce
The Chapter recognized Lamiya Cotton, University of San Francisco; Sneha Maiti, San Jose State University; Kylie Silvia, California State University, Monterey Bay; and Denae Rivera, Santa Clara University.
Meghan Fintland, president of PRSA Silicon Valley and head of global PR at Rubrik, said, “By empowering these students, PRSA Silicon Valley is not just building a new workforce, but a workforce that truly understands the value of diverse minds, experiences, and cultures. I look forward to watching these individuals' career stories and their positive impact on our industry.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is not a “nice-to-have” , it is a critical component of a successful and growing company. Recent research emphasizes a timeless truth – that teams must mirror the societal diversity of the audiences they are working to impact. Therefore, marketing communications teams – and leaders – must empathize and relate to their audiences in order to have the best creativity and engagement with them. In a 2021 Deloitte survey, young respondents aged 18 to 25 years old took greater notice of inclusive advertising when making purchase decisions. And 57% of consumers are more loyal to brands that commit to addressing social inequities in their actions.
Most importantly, the research found that high-growth brands (defined as those with annual revenue growth of 10% or more) are more frequently establishing key performance metrics for DE&I objectives than their lower-growth competitors. Diversity matters. PRSA Silicon Valley has and will continue to invest in up-and-coming professionals from backgrounds and experiences previously overlooked, in its mission to foster growth, innovation and creativity in the field of communications.
Below are quotes from the 2024 Diversity and Multicultural Scholarship winners:
“Public relations professionals have the responsibility of addressing inequalities and continuously supporting inclusivity in their practices,” said Lamiya Cotton. “When people can come together and work on problems with their diverse sets of knowledge, backgrounds, and experiences, it allows for everyone in the industry to be aware of how important it is to address all groups of people.”
“Diversity is not just a buzzword but an imperative aspect of the job,” said Denae Rivera. “As the world evolves, the industry must adapt and leverage the power of diversity to remain relevant and successful in the years to come.”
“I live in one of the most diverse areas in our nation. Promoting inclusion, respect, and understanding across different cultural and gender groups is of the utmost importance to me in my community, within my home, and in the classroom with my fellow classmates and professors,” said Kylie Silvia. “Integrating diversity in everyday communications practices takes everyone to make the broadest impact, but it starts with me!”
“Diversity in the communications sector has ethical implications in addition to strategic ones,” said Sneha Maiti. “Public opinion and societal views are greatly influenced by the communications sector. It is our duty to see to it that this power is used to advance social justice, inclusion, and representation.”
Thank you also to our judges for this year’s decisions:
- Jazmin Eusébio, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Program Manager & Public Relations Manager, Highwire
- Alannah McDermott, Account Supervisor, ICR Lumina and DEI & Mentorship Co-Lead, PRSA Silicon Valley
- Rochelle Nadhiri, Communications Executive
- Deidre Wright, Public Relations Director at Airship and Communications & Consultant at Strategic Stories
Recent DEI Initiatives
This year, PRSA Silicon Valley launched a Share the Love Matching Campaign to double the impact, matching donations to the fund up to $5,000. And in December 2023, PRSA Silicon Valley donated 100% of the proceeds from the Chapter’s annual Media Predicts event to the Diversity and Multicultural scholarship, resulting in a direct increase in funding for each of the above students. The ability to expand the reach and financial support is due largely because of the generosity of Media Predicts sponsors and attendees.
To learn more about the upcoming Media Predicts event on December 10, 2024, at the Hiller Aviation Museum, and how you can partner with the Chapter to invest in next year’s scholarship program and boost awareness of your agency or business, visit here.
To learn more about the scholarship and PRSA Silicon Valley’s commitment to DE&I, visit here.
Make sure to follow PRSA Silicon Valley on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.
About PRSA Silicon Valley
PRSA Silicon Valley is a community-driven organization focused on empowering communications professionals looking to cultivate their best careers. A regional chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, PRSA Silicon Valley is part of a national network of more than 20,000 communication professionals focused on connecting and supporting individuals at all stages of their careers. PRSA Silicon Valley’s newly renewed 2023 mission focuses on DE&I, mentorship, and networking. Membership is open year-round. To join PRSA Silicon Valley, visit this link.
The photos are the property of their respective owners, the students in each of them.
Contact
Michelle McIntyre, VP of Marketing
PRSA Silicon Valley
michelle@michellemcintyrecommunications.com
