This year, the Agency, a registered student organization formerly housed within the journalism department, moved to public relations.

This organization is now joining forces with the Public Relations Student Society of America; however, they each have different functions.

The Public Relations Student Society of America’s goal is to provide students with networking, professional development and resume-building skills.

Haley Vance, a senior public relations major and the president of PRSSA, said the organization markets itself as a way to help students prepare for post-graduate life.

An executive board of 12 members conducts meetings and puts workshops together about topics such as building LinkedIn profiles, professional websites and how to make business cards.

“We really stress resume building and networking, not just with students in the organization, but with professionals and practitioners that we have Skype with us or come in and talk,” Vance said.

The Agency’s co-director, Lexi Stickel, a senior journalism major, said the PRSSA gives the students this information, but the Agency puts the knowledge to action.

Since the organization switched departments, Stickel said the transition was difficult because the Agency lost some members.

This semester, they have been focusing on recruiting students from the public relations major by visiting classrooms and posting fliers to gain awareness.

The Agency publishes a newsletter once a semester that includes information about upcoming events and campaigns.

The PRSSA meets 6 p.m. Mondays in Room 2434 of Buzzard Hall, followed by the Agency at 7 p.m. in the same place.

Madison Endsley can be reached at 581-2812 or mlendsley@eiu.edu.