Public Relations Student Society of America
PRSSA is a nonprofit pre-professional organization founded in 1968 by PRSA, operating 300 chapters on U.S. college campuses serving more than 9,600 public relations students through membership, networking, and competitions like the Bateman Case Study.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Public Relations Student Society of America does
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit pre-professional organization founded in 1968 by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). It cultivates a formal bridge between students studying public relations and the working PR profession, and operates through a national network of 300 chapters on college campuses serving more than 9,600 members. The Frederick C. Whitney Chapter at San Diego State University, established in 1971, is one of the organization's earlier and continuously active chapters and hosts bi-weekly speaker events, regional conference delegations, and professional development workshops.
PRSSA's core offering is membership and programming rather than a technology product: members gain exposure to PR theories and ethics, networking with practitioners, eligibility for PRSA associate and accredited membership pathways, and access to signature programs such as the annual Bateman Case Study Competition. The organization is structured under PRSA as its parent nonprofit foundation and is funded primarily through recurring chapter and national membership dues, with supplementary revenue from corporate-sponsored competitions and events. Distribution runs entirely through the university chapter network within the United States, and there is no evidence of proprietary technology, AI tooling, or commercial software products.
Strategically, PRSSA monetizes its brand and chapter network through partnerships with corporate communications platforms and sponsors (e.g., ACCESS Newswire for the 2026 Bateman Competition) and through chapter-based delivery of programming such as Next Gen PR regional conferences. The organization has a small national staff (11-50 employees) supporting 300 chapters and runs no public fundraising rounds, M&A activity, or geographic expansion outside the U.S.
Public Relations Student Society of America firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Public Relations Student Society of America
- Legal name
- Public Relations Student Society of America
- Website
- https://prssa-sdsu.weebly.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PRSSA is a nonprofit pre-professional organization founded in 1968 by PRSA, operating 300 chapters on U.S. college campuses serving more than 9,600 public relations students through membership, networking, and competitions like the Bateman Case Study.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Public Relations Student Society of America industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Public Relations Agencies (54182)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Media & Community Management (PR-led) (BPAFADAM)
Keywords
Where Public Relations Student Society of America is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Public Relations Student Society of America business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Chapter Membership Dues: PRSSA generates revenue through membership dues collected from student chapters at colleges and universities across the United States. Students join through local chapters which are part of the national organization founded by PRSA.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Public Relations Student Society of America product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PRSSA is a nationally recognized pre-professional organization founded by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 1968 that cultivates relationships between students and media professionals. It operates a network of 300 chapters on college campuses across the United States serving more than 9,600 members through networking events, regional conferences, bi-weekly speaker events, professional development workshops, and competitions such as the Bateman Case Study Competition.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PRSSA Chapter Membership Annual or recurring student membership joining one of 300 PRSSA chapters at U.S. colleges and universities; provides understanding of current PR theories and procedures, appreciation of ethical ideals, awareness of professional attitudes, and a pathway to PRSA Associate and accredited membership.
- Bateman Case Study Competition
Companies that use Public Relations Student Society of America
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Public Relations Student Society of America technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Public Relations Student Society of America partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- ACCESS NewswirecoreACCESS Newswire served as the official client for the 2026 PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition. The competition focused on building awareness for ACCESS Newswire's Professional Education Program that provides students and faculty free access to its corporate communications platform.
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)flagshipPRSSA was founded by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 1968. The organization cultivates a favorable and mutually advantageous relationship between students and media professionals. PRSA provides organizational oversight and pathway to associate membership and eventually accredited membership for PRSSA members.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Public Relations Student Society of America competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global professional association for business communicators with student membership pathways, paralleling PRSSA's pre-professional role. IABC competes for the same student mindshare and university chapter affiliations in communications programs.
- Arthur W. Page Society: Membership organization for chief communications officers and senior PR leaders. Comparable as a tiered professional association in the PR field, though focused on senior practitioners rather than students.
- Institute for Public Relations (IPR): Nonprofit research and education foundation for the PR profession, offering student programs, scholarships, and research access. Directly comparable mission to PRSSA's PR education and professional development goals.
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): Parent organization and the most direct peer. PRSA is the professional body for working PR practitioners, and PRSSA was founded by PRSA in 1968 as its pre-professional student arm. They share mission, governance, and the membership pipeline.
- Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management: International confederation of PR associations linking bodies worldwide. Comparable in serving as a unifying membership organization for the PR profession, though operating globally rather than at the national student level.
- Council of Public Relations Firms: Industry body representing PR agencies and the broader profession. Comparable as a PR-sector membership organization with a mandate to advance the profession's standards and pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- PR Council: Trade association of leading midsize PR firms in the U.S. Comparable as a PR industry membership body, though focused on agency principals rather than students.
- National Communication Association (NCA): Scholarly and professional association covering all communication disciplines including PR, with student members and university chapters. Comparable pre-professional / student membership model in an adjacent communication discipline.
- American Marketing Association (AMA): Larger professional association with collegiate chapters serving marketing students. Comparable pre-professional collegiate chapter model and member-funded structure, though in an adjacent (broader) discipline than PR.
Regional players
- Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA): UK-based professional body for PR and communications professionals with international membership. Comparable as a PR industry association serving practitioners and students in a different geographic market than PRSSA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Public Relations Student Society of America social profiles
Digital presencePublic Relations Student Society of America financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Public Relations Student Society of America leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Public Relations Student Society of America funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Public Relations Student Society of America M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Public Relations Student Society of America
What does Public Relations Student Society of America do?
PRSSA is a nationally recognized pre-professional organization founded by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 1968 that cultivates relationships between students and media professionals. It operates a network of 300 chapters on college campuses across the United States serving more than 9,600 members through networking events, regional conferences, bi-weekly speaker events, professional development workshops, and competitions such as the Bateman Case Study Competition.
Is Public Relations Student Society of America a public or private company?
Public Relations Student Society of America is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Public Relations Student Society of America founded?
Public Relations Student Society of America was founded in 1968. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Public Relations Student Society of America based?
Public Relations Student Society of America is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Public Relations Student Society of America make money?
One revenue line is on record: chapter Membership Dues.
Who are Public Relations Student Society of America's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Arthur W. Page Society, Institute for Public Relations (IPR), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and Council of Public Relations Firms. Broad incumbents are PR Council, National Communication Association (NCA) and American Marketing Association (AMA). Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Public Relations Student Society of America have an API?
No public API is recorded for Public Relations Student Society of America.
What industry is Public Relations Student Society of America in?
Public Relations Student Society of America's product category is Professional Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAM, Social Media & Community Management (PR-led). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.