Executive Council
Executive Board
Elisa Stocking
President
Comm Major - PR Concentration
Graduating May 2024
Leah Pennington
Vice President
Comm Major - PR Concentration
Marketing Minor
Graduating May 2024
Elisa’s favorite thing about PRSSA is the incredible opportunity it offers to meet and network with professionals and students. She has a special appreciation for the supportive and encouraging atmosphere PRSSA has because it made her feel at home as a transfer student. Elisa firmly believes that being a PRSSA member exposes students to numerous career options in public relations because they are sure to discover and further their professional interests. After graduation, Elisa is interested in pursuing a career working for a university’s marketing and communication team or branching out into government affairs. Elisa’s favorite MSU memory is when she met Dr. Keenum and received life-changing advice that she has done her best to live by.
Leah is a transfer junior majoring in communication with a concentration in public relations and minoring in marketing. PRSSA is special because it allows Leah to create relationships in the field that she is passionate about. After graduating from MSU, Leah plans to stay and obtain a master’s degree in higher education because her goal is to work in student recruiting or admissions. One of Leah’s favorite memories as a bulldog was during Super Bulldog Weekend 2023 when MSU tied the series against Ole Miss that was followed with a walk off by Dakota Jordan and a Brett Eldredge concert.
Lauryn Jones
Communication Director
Comm Major - PR Concentration
Pre-Law Minor
Sports Administration Cognate
Graduating May 2024
Shelby Hodgkiss
Recruitment Director
CO Major - PR Concentration
Print & Digital Journalism Minor
Graduating May 2024
Lauryn loves PRSSA because this student-led organization gives her the opportunity to be involved, hear insight from professionals, and meet new people. She is excited about her role as Communication Director and eager to learn more about the public relations world. After graduation, Lauryn plans to attend law school to further her education. Mississippi State holds a special place in her heart, and Lauryn knows that she will always be grateful for MSU that continues to love and support her. Lauryn cherishes her times at MSU when she has been surrounded by the great friendships that she has made.
Shelby is excited about joining PRSSA because she gets to hear from professionals in PR and learning about all the different career field options. Shelby enjoys meeting with people from all backgrounds that have similar interests within the broad field of communication. The biggest benefit Shelby has found through PRSSA is the networking with professionals, some of whom have become her friends and mentors. Shelby plans to get her real estate license this summer and start selling real estate once she graduates in May of 2024. Her favorite MSU memory so far has been traveling to Omaha and watching the MSU baseball team win the National Championship!
Abby Rutherford
Programming Director
Comm Major - PR Concentration
Graduating December 2024
Ella Sisk
Undergraduate Advisor
CO Major - PR Concentration
Graduating May 2024
Abby appreciates PRSSA as she gets to hear from different speakers who represent various public relations fields and share diverse experiences. Abby thinks that PRSSA guests show how much she can do with her degree. The benefits of PRSSA are being able to network with those in her major and also with professionals in the organization as well through conferences. After graduation, Abby plans to attend graduate school at MSU for a master's in communication with hopes to one day work for a mental health or political organization doing public relations. Abby’s special memory of MSU would have to be the 2023 Bowl Game. Seeing the fans and football team come together in honor of Coach Leach and bring home a great win from an exciting game!
Ella's favorite thing about PRSSA is being able to experience and learn from the amazing guest speakers, and she also loves meeting fellow students who share the same interests and goals in their Public Relations careers! Ella believes that PRSSA is a great place to find yourself within your academic and social interest in Public Relations. After graduation, Ella would love to pursue a career in social media and creative advertising in the interior design world. Going into her junior year, Ella can confidently say that she has made some of the best memories of her life at MSU. Her favorite memory so far has been watching the Bulldogs win the 2021 baseball National Championship!
Faculty Advisors
Dr. Bazaa has 15 years of experience in public relations and media industries working at both technical and managerial levels. Her employers include Save the Children UK, diplomatic missions of the U.S. and Australia in Mongolia, and Rio Tinto multinational mining group. She loves teaching public relations and communication to hard-working students at MSU and helps them discover amazing opportunities and challenges this profession presents. Dr. Bazaa is excited to be co-chairing the PRSSA's chapter at MSU and helping her students launch successful PR careers in the U.S. and around the world.
Dr. H has over six years of full-service PR and advertising experience. Some clients she has worked for include Christ Cathedral, Orange County Boy Scouts of America, Goodwill of Orange County, Dammit Dolls, Irvine Company, UCI, StorQuest, and Orange County Great Parks. Dr. H attributes the success of landing her first PR job after graduation to the network she built during her undergraduate career by attending various professional PRSA events. She hopes students will take advantage of all the resources PRSA has to offer students to become widely successful in their future careers.
Terri Hernandez, Ph.D.
Advisor
Assistant Professor of PR
PRSA Member since 2009
Uyanga Bazaa, Ph.D.
Advisor
Assistant Professor of PR
PRSA Member since 2022
Committee Members
Belle Fulkerson
Social Media & Fundraising
Committee Member
Belle aids the Communication Director by creating graphics and Instagram stories to encourage fellow PR students to get involved with PRSSA and its associated events via social media (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn). Belle also helps the Vice President with our chapter's charitable and fundraising efforts.
Past Executive Boards
Ella Sisk, Chapter President
Anna Grace Hand, Vice President
Maryanna Morris, Communication Director
Addie Thompson, Programming Director
Mary Martha Willison, Recruitment Director
Mariah Stevens, Chapter President
Marisa Laudadio, Vice President
Tate Smith, PR Director
Jordan Spradlin, Recruitment Director
Amelia Henson, Treasurer
Blake Williams, Secretary
Abbie Kate Hancock, Website Director
Annie Price, Committee Member
Tyler Hutcherson, Committee Member
Sarah Colvert, Chapter President
Elly Lamb, Vice President
Lily Shelton, Communication Director
Meagan Brown, Programming Director
Mary Nielson Clinton, Recruitment Director
Jo Beth Griffen, Chapter President
Tyler Hutcherson, Vice President
Jordan Criswell, PR Director
Madison Alexander, Recruitment Director
Mariah Stevens, Treasurer
Annie Price, Secretary
Marisa Laudadio, Committee Member
Tate Smith, Committee Member
Abbie Kate Hancock, Chapter President
Zoie Henson, Vice President
Gracie Weatherly, Communication Director
Katie Nguyen, Recruitment Director
Jessi Basinger, Secretary
Leah Williams, Website Director