The PRSA Foundation have announced it is expanding its partnership with Mission North and bringing in three additional partner agencies, AGEAN Public Relations, LaunchSquad, and Method Communications, to create fellowships that will focus on public relations/communications college students of color.
The Foster the Future initiative aims to build a more progressive future for the public relations industry by creating pathways for individuals who’ve been historically excluded from leadership positions. The four agencies are collaborating with the PRSA Foundation to offer the opportunity to gain valuable work experience while offsetting some of the financial burdens of tuition and other education expenses.
In 2023, the PRSA Foundation will award four fellowships, with some combination of scholarships, stipends, and internships. The internship will follow a curriculum developed by Mission North introducing awardees to PR agency careers. The 2023 awards include:
- Mission North The Future Is…Fellowship: $16,000 scholarship, $6,000 stipend, 6-week remote internship.
- AGEAN Public Relations Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, 5-week remote internship.
- LaunchSquad Fellowship: $15,000 scholarship, $4,000 stipend, 8-week remote internship
- Method Communications Fellowship: $15,000 scholarship, $3,000 stipend, 6-week remote internship.
“The PRSA Foundation is excited about the Foster the Future fellowships because they are designed to deliver a broader perspective,” said Dawn Christian, PRSA Foundation President. “They are defined by the talent, skills, and voices that thrive to breakthrough margins, resonate culturally and share inclusive viewpoints. That’s what makes the Foster the Future fellowships so dynamic and impactful!”
“The only way we are going to address the lack of diversity in the communications industry is by working together,” said Tyler Perry, co-CEO, Mission North. “We designed the Foster the Future initiative to provide the tools and resources to foster diversity and equity within our field, and we are thrilled that Method Communications, LaunchSquad and AGEAN Public Relations are joining as our inaugural partners. It is our hope that we can scale this substantially over the next few years to truly make a meaningful impact.”
