By Facundo Luque

More than700 students participated this year in PRSSAIC 2019, which offered diverse content from where we learnt. Thanks to the PRSA Foundation and its travel grant I was able to attend a great event where I saw diverse students from different places and backgrounds together under the same roof talking about wide range of  topics such as Digital communication, Reputation & Crisis Management, Leadership, Celebrities management and also Data, Analytics & Measurement. Why is this important to say? Because we can build strong relationships and enrich the PR industry as a whole through diverse people.

We had the chance to immerse ourselves in informative learning sessions led by exceptional professionals, who provided us advice about PR and life. “We all mess up. And you will too” was one the inpirational messages said by Will Collie from Edelman’s Southern California at the begging of the first day. “You can’t be a good leader if you don’t recognize what makes you a good and bad leader” was said to the leaders through the leadership reference from Cheryl I. Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA. “Creativity is fundamental to how we do our job” was shared in such energetic way through Dr. Kaye Sweetser, APR+M, Fellow PRSA, professor at San Diego State University.

Powerful words were also heard in PRSA sessions, where some of the industry’s brightest most innovative minds took place. Personalities such as journalists Bob Woodward and Laura Ling, Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft and Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico,  provided us with information about key drivers of the PR and Communications market.

As I mentioned before, I had the honor to receive the PRSA Foundation travel grant and luckily this was the second but the last time because of my graduation this year. In regards to this, I would like to mention that a great experience like this one depends on whether we make the most of it or not. That is why, I would like to remark two main opportunities that this Conference gave me.

Firstly, chances to talk to professionals. From the moment I started talking with them, I wanted to listen to them and ask them everything. I always say that our age is for “asking” and not necessarily “answering”. That is why, I believe we should learn from them and listen to every bit of advice they give us, because they already have experience and knowledge not just about PR, but about life as well. PRSSAIC gave me that chance to share a moment with them.

Secondly, there was D&I as I mentioned before. I do not say this because I am from Argentina - there were also people from Peru and other countries, who accompanied us and who have other cultures and ways of thinking. In general, I tried to get to know each one and let them know what I am like, seeking to generate a relationships and to gain knowledge. It is amazing to find other ways of living and thinking when you are in contact with cultures that are different from yours. PRSSAIC gave me that opportunity of exchange through diversity and inclusion.

To sum up, if you have the opportunity to attend a Conference in the future, I am sure you that you will obtain great results, because good things like PRSSA, plus good learning attitude generate great things.

Facundo Luque is a senior studying Public Relations at Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE) in Argentina, where he is part of the Proud Council, PRSS A National Diversity and Inclusion Sub-committee and he also serves as International Ambassador from his Chapter. He is currently working in an Argentinean PR agency. Additionally; he also attended PRSSANA in Miami, Florida and PRSSANC in Austin, Texas.