Chapter History
The Public Relations Student Society
of America was founded by the
Public Relations Society of America
in 1968. Sam Houston State
University was awarded a charter
for a chapter of the Public Relations
Student Society of America in 1984,
as one of 13 universities in the
southwestern United States with
PRSSA chapters.
In 1999 there were 18 chapters in the Southwest Region of the Public
Relations Student Society of America,
and a total of 206 chapters in 12
regions throughout the United States.
In addition to Sam Houston State University, the Southwest Region
chapters include Abilene Christian,
Baylor, Central Oklahoma, Houston,
North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma
State, Oral Roberts, Southern Methodist,
Southwest Texas, Texas (Arlington),
Texas (Austin), Texas (San Antonio),
Texas A&M, Texas Christian,
Texas Tech, and Tulsa.
While many Sam Houston State University students over the years were
trained in journalism and entered
the public relations field, a Bachelor
of Arts Degree in Journalism-Public
Relations was first offered by the
Department of Public Communications
at SHSU in 1966.
* Submitted by Frank Krystyniak, APR, SHSU PRSSA
Advisor.