PRSSA ICON

After classes on Friday, I grabbed lunch with some friends, then headed back to my apartment to pack for a busy weekend. I’m in an organization called PRSSA, and this weekend, we had a conference in Orlando, Florida, called ICON. It’s a conference where PRSSA chapters from all over the country come together to learn, network and have fun.

I planned to ride with two other PRSSA members, Isaac and Brant. They picked me up around 5 p.m., and we headed to the Cleveland airport. Getting through the airport and onto our flight went smoothly. We didn’t get to our hotel in Orlando until pretty late, so we unpacked, settled into our rooms and went to bed. Luckily, we got to sleep in a little because we didn’t have anything scheduled until the luncheon at 11 a.m. the next day.

The luncheon was a salad with grilled chicken. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it was good. They also handed out awards, and ONU PRSSA was recognized as a Star Chapter for its work throughout the year. After that, we had roll call, where all the different schools performed a little chant to introduce their chapter. I might be biased, but I think ours was the best.

Next, we heard from Scott Pansky, the co-founder of Allison & Partners. He spoke at a conference I attended in Chicago during my freshman year, and he was just as amazing this time around. During his presentation, he had us writing and coloring in a kids’ activity book. It was a fun way to keep everyone involved while still telling a great story and sharing professional advice.

After his presentation, we had a couple of hours to ourselves before the networking event. This gave students the chance to meet professionals, talk about their experiences and make connections that could eventually lead to internships or job opportunities. Afterward, our group walked about 20 minutes to a restaurant called BJ’s. The food was good, but the best part was dessert. Apparently, BJ’s is famous for its Pizookies, so the whole group ordered some. They were delicious! We walked back to the hotel, hung out for a couple more hours and headed to bed because Sunday morning was going to start pretty early.

Sunday started with a tour of Give Kids The World Village led by its President and CEO, Caroline Schumacher. Give Kids The World is a nonprofit organization that provides children with critical illnesses and their families with free stays at a resort-style village. They also help families visit places like Disney, Universal and SeaWorld.

I absolutely loved this place and everything it stands for. The village they created was so magical, and I can confidently say that if I were a kid, I would have had a blast there. They truly thought of everything to make these families feel special. One of the things that stood out to me the most was that they celebrate Christmas and Halloween every week. The heartbreaking reality is that some of these children may not get to experience those holidays when they actually come around, so the organization makes sure they get to celebrate them during their stay. There is so much more I could say about this place, but I have a lot more to cover from the trip. I will say that this was definitely my favorite part of the entire weekend.

After the tour, we came back to the hotel and listened to Tyler Gillum, the head coach of the Savannah Bananas. His presentation was really cool because it focused on betting on yourself, going against expectations and finding ways to stand out. Tyler started from the bottom, and thanks in part to a connection he made years earlier, he eventually became the coach of the Savannah Bananas. He also talked about how all of his "crazy ideas" turned into creative ways to market the team. I see the Savanah Bananas on TikTok all the time, so it was cool hearing some of the backstories!

After that, we attended breakout sessions and got to choose which presentations we wanted to go to. I liked having the option to pick topics that interested me instead of everyone having to attend the same session.

Once we finished, we headed to Disney Springs, which was really close to our hotel. We spent a few hours walking around and shopping before meeting up with ONU alumni for dinner. The dinner was amazing! I got to have some great conversations with professionals who have had incredible careers and are connected to ONU. Plus, the dinner was paid for, which was a nice bonus!

               

After dinner, we grabbed some ice cream before catching the bus back to the hotel. Our group hung out for a few more hours, laughing and playing games before heading to bed.

On Monday, we checked out of the hotel at 11 a.m. and attended our final speaker at noon. His presentation focused on empathetic communication, and he used clips from Ted Lasso to show what it looks like in action. He even had us practice what we were learning by responding to a mock crisis with the people at our tables. It was a fun, interactive way to put the information to use, and he did a great job keeping everyone involved.

After the presentation, we hung around the hotel until it was time to leave for the airport. Thankfully, everything went smoothly on the way home. The only downside was that we didn’t get back until 3 a.m., so the next day was definitely a slow start!

Overall, ICON was an amazing experience. I learned a lot, met some awesome people and got to hear from professionals who gave me a lot to think about as I continue working toward a career in public relations. Between the speakers, networking, Give Kids The World Village and all the time spent with our group, it was a weekend I won’t forget!