Love for learning: APR Certification

Recently, I’ve gone back to the classroom. This classroom wasn’t at a university, but in a training center for a client of Hodges, but nonetheless, being in the environment got me thinking.

My mother was a teacher and I HATED summer vacation. I loved school. Not because I was a sacrilegious student, but I loved learning and I was bored at home. I lived for the challenge of learning new material, getting lost in an assignment and competing with myself (ok, and with others) to be the best I could be. Man, I was a geek.

To this day, I still get that summer vacation feeling, which is why I’ve started contemplating furthering my public relations credentials by becoming an APR (Accredited in Public Relations). In order to become an APR, you must be considered eligible by the UAB (Universal Accreditation Board), find a mentor to guide you through the process, prepare a readiness questionnaire, present your portfolio and take a computer-based exam. Once you pass the exam, you must maintain accreditation by meeting a set criteria every couple of years.

Taking on the challenge of going through the APR process is an exciting one. It’s a process that I know will not only challenge me on a personal level, but one that will also encourage me to think about my strengths and successes in my career.

While I may be a little junior for an APR (its encouraged to wait until you have five years under your PR belt), it never hurts to start thinking about how it could help me in my career down the line. And knowing me, I might even start the application on a recycled piece of paper and have my questionnaire ready to go.

For those APRs out there, what are some of the benefits you’ve seen from becoming accredited?

Casey Prentice

A self-proclaimed organizational junkie and data geek who confesses to a secret desire to be a professional organizer, Casey enjoys account management, writing, editing and digital content strategy. Her agency work has helped clients like Virginia’s Community Colleges, VCUarts and Swedish Match.

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