From Classroom to Community: Leveraging PR for Social Impact
Arien Rozelle, Assistant Teaching Professor, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
This semester I’ve worked on two unique projects that underscore the depth and breadth of public relations education, taking me outside of the classroom and into communities across New York state. These projects, which embody my belief that public relations can be used for social good, also demonstrate the many interdisciplinary applications of our field, and provided exciting teaching opportunities to integrate experiential learning, community engagement and place-based learning into the classroom and beyond.The Commission on Public Relations Education’s 20th Anniversary Report report recommends the need for coursework that provides experiential learning opportunities, ethics-related assignments, and coursework that develops critical and strategic thinking. In fact, the report recommends that “a top priority for future educational efforts should be to develop ethical critical thinking skills.”
Bridging Theory and Practice Through Immersive Tourism + Local History Project
In response to that recommendation, and thanks to a partnership with the travel and tourism agency Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP), my graduate level PR Campaign Planning and Execution class created campaigns for TAP’s clients, Seneca and Cayuga Counties, that highlight the community’s equal rights and social justice history -- just down the road from our campus in Syracuse, New York. From Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad to the birthplace of women’s rights and home of the Seneca Falls convention, these counties have a wealth of equal rights history to communicate as a driver for tourism.
To provide students with research, bring history to life, and allow them to have the experience as a potential tourist, our partners at TAP graciously arranged for a class field trip to Auburn, NY where students visited the Equal Rights Heritage Center. There, they learned more about the history of the area and met with the PR manager for Tour Cayuga. This project was an exciting way to infuse not only travel and tourism PR but local and U.S. history into the course, while providing the class with a springboard for discussion about topics like communicating to diverse audiences, communicating about marginalized groups, considering and balancing different stakeholder needs, community engagement, and more.
Communicate, Agitate, Motivate: The Role of PR in the Fight for Women’s Rights
I was lucky enough to be awarded a Newhouse-funded grant for the project "Communicate, Agitate, Motivate: The Role of PR in the Fight for Women's Rights." Inspired in part by the whistle-stop speaking tours of suffragists, the project features a series of ten community-engaged lectures across Central and Western New York, several of which I have given along with colleagues Dr. Regina Luttrell and Carrie Welch. Lectures have been held in cities and towns of historical suffrage significance including Seneca Falls, Rochester, and Syracuse (and many more).
The project's strength lies in its robust partnerships, including host sites like the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, National Women's Hall of Fame, the Matilda Jocelyn Gage Foundation and the Cayuga Museum of History & Art.
This has been an exciting project that allowed me to connect with scores of people across the state, and it would not have been possible without my dedicated research assistants Ella Petrulla and Allison Jacobs, and the support of my amazing family. The next phase of the project involves developing a comprehensive teaching toolkit for professors and proposing a course at the Newhouse School that will explore the intersection of public relations and social change.
Bonus Content: Bateman Team and the “Libraries for All, Voices for All” Campaign
This year I also served as advisor to the Syracuse University 2024-2025 PRSSA Bateman team. I advised students on the research, planning, execution and measurement of their campaign, “Libraries for All, Voice for All” for the non-profit EveryLibrary. Their campaign focused on the idea that libraries should remain spaces where every voice is heard, and every story is told. The campaign took a community-focused approach and featured significant partnerships, including one with the Onondaga County Library System. I’m proud to share that our team placed in the top 12 nationally, earning honorable mention!
Looking Forward
My teaching, grant project and advisement have all allowed me to do things I love like fostering community partnerships and engagement, while also developing the next generation of ethical communication professionals. I look forward to continuing to bridge academic excellence with practical real-world impact for the benefit of our students, our community and beyond.