Published on November 4, 2024 by Gunnar Sadowey  
The 2024 Teahan Award plaque.
The 2024 Teahan Award plaque.

Samford University’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter has had a successful year, earning multiple national accolades that highlight the dedication and impact of its members.

The chapter received the Outstanding PRSA/PRSSA Chapter Relationship Award as part of the Teahan National Chapter Awards Competition. This recognition, which includes a $300 prize and a commemorative plaque, celebrates Samford PRSSA’s exceptional partnership with the PRSA Alabama chapter. The Teahan Awards are presented annually to honor excellence in PRSSA chapter activities, leadership and public relations initiatives.

Samford’s PRSSA chapter also earned its 11th consecutive Star Chapter Award, an accolade that acknowledges chapters demonstrating outstanding programming and member involvement.

Individually, Samford students Lane Henderson and Emily Oldham, both members of the Class of 2024, were honored with the PRSSA National Gold Key Award, the highest individual distinction for PRSSA members. The award, established in 1983, celebrates academic achievement and leadership in public relations. Henderson and Oldham join an elite group, becoming only the second and third recipients from Samford following Page Secreast in 2021.

Adding to the chapter's accomplishments, senior Kate Gunn secured third place in the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition (NODAC). Gunn’s organ donation campaign, developed during the 2024 spring semester, earned Samford’s chapter a $200 prize and recognition at PRSA’s national ICON event in Anaheim, California. Her project contributed to raising awareness about the life-saving importance of organ donation.

“Our PRSSA officers work hard to provide the best programming and opportunities for their members,” said Nia Johnson, associate professor of communication and media and faculty advisor of Samford’s PRSSA Chapter. “It’s an honor to be designated as a Star Chapter for the 11th year in a row, and the national Teahan competition award is especially thrilling since it showcases our special relationship with PRSA Alabama.”

These achievements underscore the commitment and talent of Samford’s PRSSA members as they look forward to another successful year in 2025.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.