NEW YORK, NY – June 1, 2023 –The PRSA Foundation announced today its first class of fellows in the Foster the Future Initiative, which creates pathways for individuals who’ve been historically excluded from leadership positions by offering opportunities to gain valuable work experience while offsetting some of the financial burdens of tuition and other education expenses.

Four different PR agencies support the program, which includes a combination of scholarships, stipends, and internships totaling $61,500. In 2023, the four fellowships will be awarded to:

• AGEAN Public Relations Fellowship: Emeline Maile, Brigham Young University
• LaunchSquad Fellowship: Ananya Dutta, Emerson College
• Method Communications Fellowship: Mya Osborne, Elon University
• Mission North The Future Is… Fellowship: Ayatullah “Lala” Badaoui, James Madison University

The fellows will complete their five-to-eight week paid internships at the agencies that sponsored each fellowship. The internships will be structured based on a curriculum developed by Mission North following the launch of the Mission North The Future Is… Fellowship in 2022.

"The PRSA Foundation is thrilled to award Ananya, Emmeline, Mya, and Lala with these fellowships, and we are certain that they will be rising stars in the public relations profession," said Dawn Christian president of the PRSA Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “This fellowship is full of intentionality. The PRSA Foundation and our partner organizations have committed to equity, access, and developing careers that foster the future of the PR industry by investing in these leaders amplifying their talent, and honoring their necessary and diverse perspectives.”

The fellows will be recognized with other PRSA Foundation scholarship recipients at the PRSSA awards ceremony at ICON 2023 in Nashville, TN.

The PRSA Foundation believes in building a more progressive future for the next generation. Plans to create more access and opportunity with long-term, expanded initiatives for students of color and other underrepresented communities will continue throughout 2023.

About The PRSA Foundation
The PRSA Foundation is an independent, 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that is committed to promoting diversity among public relations professionals and companies so that they can best serve the public good and address the needs of a diverse world. www.prsafoundation.org