PRSA Rochester Educator of the Year Award

The PRSA Rochester Chapter invites you to nominate a local educator at the college and university level who has helped to strengthen the communications industry through educating its future professionals. Nominees should reflect a dedication to instilling knowledge and inspiring communications careers. They must also have worked in an instructional capacity at some point between March 2024 and March 2026, the period of time since nominations were last accepted for this recognition that is awarded every two years. 

Judging Criteria:

• Minimum of 5 years in a college or university-level instructional capacity (not necessarily consecutively)
• Must have worked in an instructional capacity at some point within the last two years (March 2024 to March 2026). 
• Subjects of instruction: communications, public relations, or related field
• Demonstrates excellence in teaching based on contemporary knowledge of PR and communications
• Demonstrates support of students via mentorship, advising, job placement help, etc.
• Not required to be a PRSA member

Nomination Materials:

• Nomination form
• One student reference
• One colleague or administrator reference
• The nominee’s professional bio (resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile will all work)
• If applicable, a list of public relations research, writing, and any relevant awards and accomplishments

Judging Procedure:

A panel of PRSA past presidents, the current president and president-elect, and other current board members will review the pool of nominees. The panel has the option of not selecting a recipient in a given year. If a recipient is selected, the award will be presented at the PRism Awards.

Submit A Nomination

Submit an online nomination form or email a PDF  nomination form and accompanying nomination materials to Sara Miller, [email protected], and Samantha Jean, [email protected], by Friday, March 20, 2026.

When a nomination is chosen, the nominator will be notified in advance of the PRism Awards Ceremony so that the nominee and a guest of the nominee can be invited to attend to accept the award. 

A nominal $20 fee is required for submitting an nomination. You will receive an invoice after submitting your nomination form via email. Fee is waived for student nominators. 

Previous Educator of the Year Awardees

2022: Arhlene Flowers, Professor, Integrated Marketing Communications, Ithaca College

2024: Arien Rozelle, Assistant Professor, St. John Fisher University