Kerrie Blankenship earns Certificate in Principles of Public Relations

Kerrie Blankenship, recent FGCU graduate and member of the FGCU Student Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, recently earned the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations.

The certificate, which is earned through passing an examination designed to test the foundational knowledge of those entering the public relations profession, is administered by the Universal Accreditation Board and gives students a leg up in securing sought-after positions in the profession. Blankenship is the ninth Eagle to earn the certificate.

“Kerrie has added two other significant achievements to her record: she was inducted into the FGCU Hall of Fame and graduated from FGCU with a perfect 4.0 GPA,” said Kara Winton, a public relations instructor in the department of ommunication and philosophy at Florida Gulf Coast University.

During her two years with the FGCU FPRA chapter, Blankenship served as marketing director for the student organization in her final year. Following graduation, she plans to return to her hometown of Tampa Bay to pursue a career in public relations within the event planning industry.

To qualify for the Certificate in Principles of Public Relations examination, students must be within six months of graduation (either before or after) from an accredited college or university, whose degree is in public relations or a related area of study. They also must be members of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) or student member of another UAB participating organization, and take a course specifically designated for Certificate preparation either online or on campus.