Celebrating Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) Month with Poston’s PR Pros

At Poston Communications, we power up our PRofessional life in a variety of ways. From serving in leadership roles for various public relations, legal and other professional associations and community organizations to furthering our education via workshops and academia, we take professional development seriously around here.

In April, the public relations industry celebrates Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) Month – a unique credential that is widely respected in the field and certifies one’s professionalism and drive to succeed as a strategic communicator. Earning your APR not only demonstrates commitment to the practice, but it also gives a PR professional a level of distinction.

I became Accredited in 2020 and consider my experience earning the credential to be one of the most rewarding in my career. Poston Communications Partner Megan Paquin, APR, CPRC and Senior Account Supervisor Kali Hammond, APR, also earned the credential in 2012 and 2020, respectively. The curriculum taught during the accreditation process is reflected in the way we teach all of our team members here at Poston Communications. Throughout our daily practice, we consistently refer to this valuable information to help better serve our clients and community.

“The APR process helped solidify the ‘why’ in what we do when it comes to strategic communications,” says Paquin. “It helped reinforce my skills and also put a laser focus on the process, which immediately translated to my daily work on behalf of clients.”

“While the accreditation process can be quite the journey, I was so honored to finally join the ranks of the highest-achieving professionals in our field,” says Hammond. “This process outlined the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of becoming an effective and strategic communicator. I use the tools I learned throughout this process daily to ensure I am serving my clients effectively.”

I am thrilled to have reached this milestone in my career and am excited to take advantage of the additional growth opportunities accreditation affords.

To earn the APR credential, candidates are required to demonstrate their knowledge, expertise and commitment to ethical practices, sound judgement, strategic perspective and the use of the research-planning-implementation-evaluation (RPIE) process via a two-part assessment. The candidates must first successfully present to a panel of three Accredited peers using a personal public relations case study to demonstrate their work in the field. The review panel is followed by a comprehensive, computer-based examination to test candidates’ practical knowledge and decision-making abilities. It is a rigorous process, sometimes taking a full year or longer to complete.

Further demonstrating our commitment to the field, accredited professionals – particularly Poston’s APRs – continue supporting the process by teaching courses, serving on APR panels, and coaching and mentoring candidates working their way through the process.

So, what does all this mean for our clients and team? It means not only will you see us taking a leading role in our industry and communities, but also that Poston Communications team members are proven to deliver innovative and strategic results while always striving for more. Explore our credentials, join the team or contact us to share our expertise with your organization.

To learn more about the APR process, click here.