Earning Accreditation: What’s in the “Happily Ever After”
Posted on Apr. 28, 2022 / Subscribe 0
I’ve always loved to nerd out about writing and then public relations. Explaining to others what I did every day and how it wasn’t just marketing or advertising (no offense, truly). Writing the strategy and implementing the tactics toward a formal or informal communications plan.
For 10 years before earning my APR, I attended PRSA Detroit’s Annual Meeting, and each November, I would get excited about the possibility of embarking on that journey. What a wonderful way to nerd out and have some of PR’s most prestigious letters of the alphabet following my name. Yeah, 10 years. A decade of enthusiasm and zero attempts to follow through. Always for “reasons.”
Finally, my time came. In my eagerness, I completed the whole one-year process in approximately four months. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it can be done. What I do recommend, and will continue to recommend, is when your “my time” comes, jump on it. I have yet to talk to any APRs who wish they didn’t.
But in the antithesis of journalistic writing, I’m burying today’s lede. Because when we talk about earning your APR, it’s usually about the pursuit: the effort that goes into earning those coveted letters. But like a classic fairy tale, the conversation about the APR moves to “and they lived happily ever after” once candidates have earned their pins. Yet, there is still so much more in the “after.”
The skills earned and proven in the APR process are helping practitioners develop better communications plans and explain to our stakeholders what we do every day in more precise and engaging ways than before we got to the after. For those of us lucky enough to serve on a review panel, we’re also learning from presenters and co-panel reviewers who may be doing work outside of our own experience.
All APRs maintain their credentials in three-year cycles of continuing education, professional development and ethics training. Think about all the skill-building veteran APRs have actively pursued in the after. APRs are encouraged to be actively engaged in national and chapter boards and committees, for which we also earn renewal credits. Our pro bono work counts toward, you guessed it, accreditation renewal as well.
It's that continued active engagement and commitment that makes APRs true and steady resources, not just for those “my time”ers but for all members of PRSA Detroit. The good news: The APR club is not exclusive. APRs want more “my time”ers, and in Detroit, we have a roster of hand-raisers ready and willing to mentor and serve on panel reviews so new candidates can get to the after.
Whether you are in year one or year 10 of wanting to pursue your APR but haven’t for “reasons,” please know there is so much more in the “happily ever after.” Join us; we have cookies (okay, maybe that’s going a bit too far, but still, it’s fun over here).
Kristin Sokul, APR, is the director of advancement strategy and planning for Gleaners Community Food Bank. She is a member of PRSA Detroit’s board of directors and co-chair of the PRSA Detroit Accreditation Committee.
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