NEW YORK (Aug. 10, 2009) — The PRSA Foundation announced today a new $5,000 scholarship for high-potential college juniors or seniors who are enrolled in a journalism or public relations program, or taking courses to prepare for a career in public relations. The John D. Graham Scholarship is made possible by a donation to the Foundation from Fleishman-Hillard International Communications.
John D. Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, is the chairman of Fleishman-Hillard. During his tenure as the firm’s CEO and president from 1974-2006, the agency grew from a single office in St. Louis to more than 80 offices around the world. Earlier this year, he was named the first recipient of the PRSA Foundation Paladin Award for his leadership and commitment to the public relations profession.
“During his more than 30 years at the agency’s helm, John Graham has played a critical role in shaping our firm’s strong culture of success and our reputation for delivering quality service and results that make a real difference for our clients,” said Dave Senay, Fleishman-Hillard CEO, in announcing the grant to the PRSA Foundation. “This scholarship will recognize a student who has that same passion for quality and excellence in public relations.”
PRSA Foundation President Kathleen L. Lewton, APR, Fellow PRSA, principal of the firm of Lewton, Seekins & Trester, said that the John D. Graham Scholarship is the largest ever awarded by the Foundation. “An annual scholarship of this size would be important at any time,” she noted, “but especially now, when so many outstanding students are in such need of financial assistance in order to continue their education, the gift from Fleishman-Hillard is particularly significant.”
The PRSA Foundation currently awards 12 scholarships annually via six scholarship funds. The scholarship recipient and two honorable mention winners will be announced at the awards dinner of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) in San Diego on Nov. 9 as part of the group’s national conference, which is held concurrently with the Public Relations Society of America’s International Conference.
The recruitment and selection process for PRSA Foundation scholarships is managed by the staff of PRSSA. John D. Graham Scholarship applicants will be evaluated based on criteria that include writing skills, academic achievements, demonstrated leadership qualities, practical experience and commitment to public relations as expressed in written statements.
Details on applying for the John D. Graham Scholarship are available on the PRSSA Web site (www.prssa.org). The deadline for applications is Oct. 19.
About the PRSA Foundation
Founded in 1990, the PRSA Foundation is an independent charitable foundation that raises funds to support scholarships for public relations students, to sponsor research projects that impact the practice of public relations and the profession’s ability to serve the public good, and initiatives that build greater understanding of the role of public relations among business and government leaders. It is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit foundation with offices in New York City (www.prsafoundation.org).
About John D. Graham
John D. Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, joined Fleishman-Hillard in 1966, became the firm’s president and CEO in 1974, and was named chairman in 1988. Under his leadership, Fleishman-Hillard has grown from a single office to a global team of more than 2,000 professionals that serves clients from offices in 25 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, South Africa, and Latin America. Under Graham’s direction, the firm has built a strong reputation for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity, and personal commitment.
Graham’s industry leadership has been widely recognized over the years. In 1994, he was selected as PR Professional of the Year by the readers of PR News. In 2000, Graham became only the third agency PR executive to be inducted into the Arthur W. Page Society Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was named PR Professional of the Year by PRWeek, and in 2002, the University of Missouri-Columbia awarded him the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. In 2003, Graham received PRSA’s prestigious Gold Anvil award for his personal achievements during his career and he also was given the SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Public Relations from one of the industry’s most influential publications, The Holmes Report.
In addition to his decades of active involvement in PRSA, Graham is a founder and past chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms and a member of various other public relations organizations, including The Seminar, the Arthur W. Page Society, the Wisemen, the PRSA College of Fellows and the International Public Relations Association.
He attended the University of Missouri on both an athletic and a curator’s scholarship and graduated from the School of Journalism.
