The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s David A. Ward chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has been honored with the Star Chapter Award for the 2024-2025 academic year, a recognition of its outstanding leadership and dedication to community engagement. This is the second time the chapter has received this prestigious national award.
Throughout the year, UH PRSSA students demonstrated their commitment to the public relations profession by organizing a variety of academic and professional events. These initiatives included invited speaker series, communication skill workshops, community service projects, and fundraising efforts. The chapter offers semi-annual career day tours, and last spring, students got a glimpse inside Hawaiʻi Business Magazine and Anthology Marketing Group.
Mailani Magbanua, the chapter’s president and a graduate student in communication, expressed her pride in the recognition, stating, “We dedicated our time and effort to ensure we uphold the highest standards set by the Public Relations Student Society of America. We can’t wait to see how our chapter will continue to flourish in the future!”
To earn the Star Chapter Award, chapters must meet at least eight of 11 rigorous requirements, which include strengthening relationships with their sponsoring professional chapter, addressing ethics in meetings, participating in community service, and engaging in national events and awards.
Dr. Ji Young Kim, associate professor of Communication and the chapter’s faculty advisor, highlighted the students’’ commitment. “This award reflects our members’ passion and dedication to achieve the chapter’s goals. This is the second time the UH PRSSA chapter has earned this national recognition, and I am looking forward to their continued success.”
Amy Hennessey, a chapter alumna and its professional advisor, shared in the excitement. “As an alumna of the chapter, it gives me great pride to see how they’ve continued to build on the legacy of so many members before them. I continue to be inspired by the quality of our students and their contributions to the profession and our local PR community.”
The UH PRSSA chapter is always open to new members. For more information, you can follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/prssauhm/.