Buffalo State MS in PR students recognized by Public Relations Society of America

Four Buffalo State students in Buffalo State’s master of science in public relations (MS in PR) program were honored with Student Excalibur awards for “Best PR Campaign” from the Public Relations Society of America’s Buffalo Niagara Chapter in an awards ceremony on Thursday night.

PRSA Buffalo Niagara hosts an annual awards competition for its members, which comprise local public relations professionals. The students award competition was established in 2022 and, since then, Buffalo State students have consistently been awarded. To date, eleven students have been winners.

This year’s award winners, and their clients, were:

• Chelsea Allen; Buffalo State Roar 2 Success
• Denyel Beiter; Lockport City School District
• Cinnamon Morris; the Belle Center
• Angel Schwartz; SUNY Maritime College

The students’ campaigns were completed for the course COM 690: Master's Project, which is the program’s capstone course. Deborah Silverman, chair of the Communication Department, has taught the course since 2012; she recently published a textbook, Strategic Planning for Public Relations 7^th edition (Routledge, 2024), that is used in the class. Silverman and fellow MS in PR faculty members Therese Fuerst and Latrese Myers have extensive years of professional experience in public relations.

“Creating public relations campaigns is an essential part of many public relations jobs,” Silverman said. “We incorporate the PR campaign planning process into our curriculum, including service learning activities with local nonprofit organizations, where virtual student teams work together to create a campaign for a nonprofit. It's a win-win for the organizations and our students.” 

Working on public relations campaigns not only gives students valuable experience but also strengthens their resumes. 

“The public relations master’s program at Buffalo State equipped me with invaluable knowledge, hands-on experience, unwavering support, and the confidence to thrive in the industry,” said award winner Chelsea Allen. “The projects and coursework not only strengthened my skills but also made a significant impact on the quality of my professional portfolio.”

Fellow honoree Cinnamon Morris echoed these sentiments. “Earning my master’s at Buffalo State has been transformative,” she said. “As a non-traditional, hybrid student, the hands-on, community-rooted learning approach amplified my purpose. Winning the PRSA Excalibur Award proved to me that when education meets impact, people-centered campaigns can be discovered by a wider community, while students have the chance to discover themselves along the way.”

“The greatest value of the PR master’s program at Buffalo State University has been learning new research methods, studying PR through a historical and academic lens, and applying those insights to strengthen the way I plan and execute strategies and tactics when I am at work,” added Denyel Beiter, who worked in public relations for more than a decade before deciding to pursue a master’s degree. “Beyond that, earning this degree has opened the door to more job opportunities, built my confidence as a practitioner, and expanded my professional network in ways that continue to benefit my career.”

Furthermore, Silverman said that the PRSA Buffalo Niagara entries are judged by a PRSA chapter from a different part of the country, meaning that evaluators don’t know the applicants. The PRSA Buffalo Niagara entries were judged by the PRSA Puget Sound chapter.

“That's significant for assessment of our degree program,” she said. “These winning campaigns are a testament to the high quality of our master's program.”

Angel Schwartz agreed: “Being honored with the Student Excalibur Award by PRSA Buffalo Niagara is a testament to the strength of the program,” she said, “and the invaluable mentorship I received along the way.”

Clockwise from top: Denyel Beiter; Chelsea Allen; Cinnamon Morris; Angel Schwartz.