Public relations major Shayna Moreno won a prestigious $1000 dollar scholarship from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
It took three months for Moreno, the California Baptist University PRSSA chapter president, to find out that she was awarded the Rising Star Scholarship from the PRSA.
“I heard about the scholarship my sophomore year and never thought I would have enough credentials to apply or get it. So when the time came, and I finally had everything I thought they were looking for I did it,” Moreno said. “It wasn’t about the money for me. It was more of a ‘seal,’ like a seal of approval from the PR world that I am legit and I understand what PR is through my work in school and in internships.”
With the current state of the economy, setting yourself apart from the competition is vital when hoping to land a job. Moreno suggested getting involved in the CBU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), for an opportunity to learn how to market yourself.
“You get to meet awesome people and learn from them. If you ever have the chance to interview with them, you have something to bring up, like ‘Hey! I remember meeting you at [a PRSA event].’ It shows you want to learn the field and be an advocate for it.”
When meeting new people, Moreno said,”I would ask about their past and how they got to were they are today… It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.”
Aside from networking, internships are part of how Moreno gained enough clout to help win the scholarship. The recommendations she received from her past employers helped her to win the scholarship.
“Do internships. Learn all you can during that time. Just having school is not enough. You have to prove that you can survive in the real world, and that you are dependable and get the job done,” Moreno said.
Moreno received more than just money from the scholarship. The experience has made her competitive and adds to her resume.
“It has already helped me land an awesome job in Santa Monica. They were able to see that I stood out from the rest of the applicants. The fact that their peers chose me shows a lot,” Moreno said.
Moreno was recognized by her peers and PRSA members of the Inland Empire region this past Wednesday at a PRSA luncheon. PRSA members congratulated her and wanted to shake her hand.
Noelle Afualo, PRSA president of the Inland empire asked Moreno to stand while those in attendance applauded her scholarship win.
