Meek School Faculty Member Receives Top Honor from PR Association

Robin Street Presented with Professional Achievement Award

Meek School of Journalism and New Media Lecturer Robin Street, who coordinates the school’s PR emphasis, was presented the Professional Achievement Award by the Public Relations Association of Mississippi.

The award, given to one professional yearly, is the association’s top honor. It was presented to Street at a ceremony in Hattiesburg on April 25 by PRAM President Shannon Coker. Recipients “embody the highest degree of professionalism, are committed to advancing the profession and have outstanding achievements in the practice of public relations,” according to PRAM.
Street was previously named PRAM’s Educator of the Year, and it is rare for an educator to be honored in the professional category. However, judges selected Street for her continued involvement in the profession, the multiple awards her work has won, and her commitment to ethics and diversity, according to Tara Burcham, PRAM vice president for awards.
“The judges said she is an inspiration to her students and other professionals,” Burcham said. “They also noted that her commitment to the field of PR is unparalleled.”
Multiple former students who are now PR professionals joined in supporting Street’s nomination.
Former student Alex May-Sealey wrote, ”Her career achievements speak for themselves, but it is her enthusiasm, energy and ideas that truly make her shine as an inspiration to all. Robin is an excellent mentor and is consistently a favorite among her students and colleagues.”
Other student statements of support included, “(T)he epitome of a public relations professional.” “Trains the next generation of PR professionals while being one of the best the profession has to offer.” “A woman of integrity, keen intelligence, responsibility, calm confidence and compassion.”
“Although Ms. Street is winning this award for one year, she has practiced quality public relations for decades,” said H. Will Norton, Jr., professor and dean of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.
Street’s previous awards include a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America, the highest award given for PR work, and more than 30 awards in the PRAM Prism and the Southern Public Relations Lantern competitions. Her work previously won “Best in Show” from in both the Prism and Lantern competitions and twice won “Judges Choice” in the Prisms.
As the PRAM winner, Street now becomes Mississippi’s nominee for the SPRF multi-state competition.
For more information on the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, visit their website at https://meek.olemiss.edu or email MeekSchool@olemiss.edu.