UMD Student Wins PRSSA Service Award for Outstanding Contributions

The PRSA National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) announced University of

Maryland’s very own Gillian Casey as the winner of the PRSSA Service Award in
Washington, D.C.

PRSA-NCC established the Service Award in 2017 to recognize student

representatives from local PRSSA chapters who have made outstanding
contributions to their organizations. It also serves as a way to showcase future
leaders in the communication industry.

“Gillian’s dedication to PRSSA is incredibly impressive.

Under her leadership, the University of Maryland
chapter has become a vibrant and growing student
organization, and we look forward to seeing what she
will accomplish following graduation," said Stacy
Hope, PRSA-NCC chapter president.

Casey is the current president of the UMD PRSSA

chapter and a senior Communication major in the PR track. She has been an
active member in PRSSA since her freshman year, holding multiple leadership
positions including treasurer, vice president and current president.

Casey’s contributions to PRSSA include winning a Pepsi grant, a campus-wide

grant for student-run organizations. The grant underwrites the Run for Your PR 5K
that is held in memory of Vincent Tran, a UMD public relations student and PRSSA
officer who passed away in 2016. The annual run raises funds for the Tran
Scholarship, which supports diversity in PR. Casey was the recipient of the
scholarship in 2017 and sits on the selection committee for this year.

In addition to her involvement with PRSSA, Casey was the president of the
Undergraduate Communication Association (UCA) for the 2017- 2018 academic
year, a Teaching Assistant for COMM 331 and has worked various internships at
small and large PR firms, as well as a non-profit.
“We had three finalists for this year’s award for PRSSA Service Award, and the
Executive Committees from 2018 and 2019 Board of Directors felt Gillian’s service
to Maryland’s PRSSA was fantastic,” said Sabrina Kidwai, former president of
PRSA-NCC and current board member. “Gillian’s contributions and the role she
played demonstrated her drive to advance the PR profession as well as helping
the chapter give back to their community.”

“I am honored to have received the 2018 PRSA-NCC

Service Award,” said Casey. “Working as an executive
board member for PRSSA these past four years has
been extremely rewarding, and this award is a humbling
culmination of my time with this organization.”

To find out more about the PRSA-NCC Service Award,

visit https://www.prsa-ncc.org/nominations-now-open-
chapter-leadership-awards