Fort Worth, TX August 3, 2016 — The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has announced the election of Margaret Ritsch, APR, a faculty member at Texas Christian University (TCU), into the organization’s prestigious College of Fellows, an honorary organization within PRSA comprised of more than 350 senior practitioners and educators, each of whom has left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.
Election to the College, which was created in 1989 as part of an initiative focused on the future of public relations, is considered the pinnacle of a professional’s career. College members are seen throughout PRSA and the profession serving in Chapter, District, Section and national leadership positions, mentoring students and professionals, teaching, and engaging in professional practice.
Ritsch joins two other TCU faculty members who are members of the College of Fellows. Professor Emerita Doug Newsom, Ph.D., APR Fellow, served as the College of Fellows’s first female chair in 1992. Amiso George, Ph.D. Fellow PRSA, an associate professor in the Department of Strategic Communication, was inducted into the College in 2010.
To qualify for admittance into the College of Fellows, the public relations practitioner or educator must have at least 20 years of experience, hold the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential and have demonstrated exceptional capability and accomplishment in the practice or teaching of public relations. Fewer than two percent of PRSA members are accepted into the College of Fellows. A selection committee, consisting of current College of Fellows members, solicited and reviewed applications and recommended this year’s group of candidates to the PRSA 2016 National Board of Directors. The new Fellows will be formally inducted into the College at a dinner to be held Oct. 22, immediately prior to the PRSA 2016 International Conference in Indianapolis, IN.
“The induction of Margaret Ritsch to the prestigious PRSA College of Fellows sets the standard for strategic communications that deliver business results. But she goes beyond just that and serves as sage counsel, mentor and an example for the rest of us,” said PRSA 2016 National Chair Mark McClennan, APR. “I congratulate Margaret on the well-deserved honor, and ask her to continue to challenge all of us to always strive for excellence in all we do.”
Ritsch teaches full-time in the Bob Schieffer College of Communications at TCU and advises Roxo, a student-run agency for strategic communication. She joined TCU in January 2012 to build and run the agency, which recruits the best and brightest students in the Strategic Communication major and allows them to gain academic credit while working for clients.
In her 30-year career, Ritsch has provided public relations leadership at two agencies, a science museum, two rapidly growing companies and her own consulting practice. She began her career as a newspaper reporter, and in her first job at the Winchester Star she won a first-place award from the Virginia Press Association in investigative/in-depth reporting. Ritsch holds a M.A. in journalism and Certificate in African Studies from the U.W.-Madison and a B.A. in English from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. She is pursuing the Ed.D. degree in Higher Education Leadership at TCU.
The purpose of the College of Fellows is to recognize notable public relations leaders and to further the professionalism and reputation of public relations practice and education. College members provide mentoring for public relations professionals and students, support PRSA in the execution of its strategic plan specifically in the areas of advocacy and education, and create and sponsor a continuing education “Master Class” for advanced professionals each year during the PRSA International Conference.
About the Public Relations Society of America PRSA is the largest professional organization serving the U.S. public relations community. With a mission to “advance the profession and the professional,” PRSA provides news and information, thought leadership, continuing education and networking opportunities; sets standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct; and advocates for the business value of public relations and greater diversity among public relations professionals. Based in New York, PRSA comprises 110 local Chapters; 14 Professional Interest Sections that focus on specific industries and practice areas; and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which is active at more than 340 colleges and universities.