To support the professional development of students studying to enter the public relations/communications profession, the Florida Public Relations Education Foundation (FPREF) awards two $1,500 student scholarships each spring —Dr. Bob Davis, APR, CPRC, Scholarship and Dr. Jay Rayburn, APR, CPRC, Scholarship.
Last Year’s Scholarship Recipients
2023 DR. BOB DAVIS, APR, CPRC
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
LILLI KREISHER
University of Central Florida
Lilli Kreisher is a Senior at the University of Central Florida and recipient of the 2023 Dr. Bob Davis, APR, CPRC, Student Scholarship. Lilli is graduating this fall with a major in advertising and public relations. When asked as a public relations student what the most valuable aspect of her education was, Lilli said the practical experience she gained through her internships and hands-on experience. She worked as a marketing intern for Bigeye, a full-service agency, where Lilli created content for Instagram, made weekly newsletters and assisted in client research. Her other internship was at Statusphere, where she helped with member and brand communication. Lilli is a highly motivated individual with a passion for advertising and public relations.
2023 DR. JAY RAYBURN, APR, CPRC
ENDOWED BY JOE CURLEY, APR, CPRC
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
CHRISTOPHER SHULZE
Florida State University
Schulze is entering his senior year at Florida State University and is this year’s Dr. Jay Rayburn, APR, CPRC, Student Scholarship recipient. Christopher, double majoring in Public Relations and French Language with a minor in Environment and Society, has consistently made the Dean’s list every semester at Florida State University. While attending George Mason University, he served as the vice president of communications for Beta Theta Pi. He is also a published author in Laura Riding Jackson’s Book and TCPalm Newspaper, affiliated with USA Today. While at college, Christopher is an active FPRA Tallahassee Student Chapter member and regularly attends student FPRA events and gatherings
Eligibility
Candidates must be incoming seniors who have currently enrolled and been accepted in an upper-division public relations, communications or related track at an accredited college or university within the state of Florida and slated for graduation not earlier than the following fall semester. Candidates must be full- or part-time students (minimum of six credits per semester), with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Application
Students must submit the FPREF application along with an unofficial transcript from their school, and an approximately 800-word essay in response to one of the essay topics outlined in the application. Applicants are encouraged to also submit links to Linked In page and online portfolios.
Selection Process
Winners will be chosen by a Scholarship Selection Committee comprised of public relations professionals. Applicants will be evaluated based on the content of their application and the quality of their essay. Strict adherence to AP standards is highly encouraged. All written work must be 100% original, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to write this assignment will result in automatic disqualification.
Awards
FPREF will award scholarships based on the availability of funds. A minimum of two $1,500 scholarships will be awarded annually. The awardees also will receive a certificate in recognition of their achievement and will be honored during the Presidents’ Luncheon at the FPRA Annual Conference. In addition, the honorees and/or selected essays may be published in FPRA’s statewide electronic newsletter and on social media.
Key Dates
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
Winners Notified: Week of April 22, 2024
FPRA Annual Conference Presidents’ Luncheon: August 5, 2024