UA Plank Center Awards Leadership Grants in Public Relations

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at The University of Alabama will award $8,500 to support two research projects that will enhance understanding of factors that contribute to effective and ethical leadership in public relations.

Recipients of the 2010 leadership grants are:

• Dr. Cathy Rogers, Loyola University New Orleans, who will receive a grant of $5,000 for her study, A Longitudinal Study of Leadership Lessons from Outstanding Public Relations Students and Their Advisors: PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition, 2000-2010; and
• Dr. Kaye Sweetser, University of Georgia, and Dr. Tom Kelleher, University of Hawaii, who will be awarded $3,500 for their study, Is It In Them? Public Relations Leadership, Motivation, and Social Media Impact.

Dr. Karla Gower, director of the Plank Center and professor in the advertising and public relations department in the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences, said, “We congratulate the grant recipients and look forward to the results of their research. These grants, along with other initiatives, represent the Center’s continuing efforts toward helping develop leadership values and skills in the classroom and profession.”

Scholars from 17 universities, including two international universities, and a practitioner responded to the request for proposals issued in May, Gower said. The competitive proposals were blind reviewed by academics at four universities.

This year’s grants will bring to 10 the number of leadership research projects funded by the Center for a total of $54,416 since 2006.

In 2005, the UA Board of Trustees established the Center, named for public relations leader and UA alumna Betsy Plank, to develop and recognize outstanding performance in the profession and the classroom. It sponsors research, national awards and service programs to advance the understanding and practice of ethical and responsible public relations.

In addition to national leaders in the practice and education, the Plank Center Board includes an ex officio position for the president of the Public Relations Student Society of America, which represents approximately 10,000 members in 307 colleges and universities.

The Center is housed in UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. UA’s public relations program, with nearly 600 students, is the largest undergraduate degree program in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. The program is certified by PRSA and was named by PRWeek Magazine as the top ranked undergraduate public relations program in the country in 2010.