COM’s reputation rising among PR pros

Boston University’s College of Communication is rising in the eyes of the public relations world, earning second place for Outstanding Education Program in PRWeek’s annual awards ceremony July 30. “We are proud that COM has been recognized by the PRWeek judges for exceptional achievements in public relations education,” said Ray Kotcher, professor of the practice of public relations at COM and former CEO of Ketchum. “Among all the public relations programs in the country, we were proud to be a finalist and awarded with the additional distinction of an honorable mention. It reflects the great teaching here at the college and all it brings to our students.” COM’s “honorable mention” award was its highest mark yet in the competition and a runner-up to the category winner, the University of Alabama. Other finalists were New York University, Pennsylvania State University and Syracuse University. In its statement about COM’s award, PR Week noted: “The nation’s oldest PR program welcomed a new dean in 2019 as Mariette DiChristina, former editor-in-chief of Scientific American, joined the College of Communication. The undergraduate program underwent a total curriculum review. Graduates get jobs — 88% of the school’s May 2018 graduate class had full-time employment in their field of study by November. And the college is committed to diversity, as 24% of its class is comprised of international students, while the number of low-income and first-generation students stands at 17%.” PRWeek is the leading periodical of the public relations industry, and has sponsored annual awards for more than two decades. Award recipients in each category are selected by a panel of judges from the industry. Learn more and view all the winners.