Baylor Journalism Professor Honored with PRSA's 2022 Outstanding Educator Award

November 7, 2022
Marlene Neill

Marlene Neill, Ph.D, associate professor and graduate program director in journalism, public relations and new media at Baylor University, presented with the Outstanding Educator Award by the Public Relations Society of America by Dr. Felicia Blow, the 2022 Chair of PRSA (photo credit PRSA).

PRSA honors Marlene Neill, Ph.D., for career achievements and contributions to the profession through university teaching

Media Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, Baylor University Media and Public Relations,832-577-8027
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WACO, Texas (Nov. 7, 2022) - Marlene Neill, Ph.D., APR, associate professor and graduate program director in journalism, public relations and new media at Baylor University, will be presented with the Outstanding Educator Award by the Public Relations Society of America, the nation's leading professional organization serving the communications community, during PRSA's ICON 2022 conference Nov. 13-15 in Grapevine. The award will be presented alongside five additional PRSA Individual Awards honoring public relations professionals for career achievements and contributions to the profession.

The Outstanding Educator Award recognizes and celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of public relations education through college or university teaching.

"It is a true honor to be selected for the PRSA Outstanding Educator Award as some of my most influential mentors have previously been selected for this award," Neill said. "It is quite humbling to be listed among some of these legends in public relations education for whom I have the utmost admiration and respect."

Neill teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in public relations and advertising. Her research interests include public relations leadership, internal communications and ethics. She has published 30 journal articles and coauthored two scholarly books on public relations ethics and women in leadership - PR Women with Influence: Breaking through the Ethical and Leadership Challenges and Public Relations Ethics:  Senior PR Pros Tell Us How to Speak Up and Keep Your Job.

She is a longtime member of the PRSA Central Texas Chapter and has served in various leadership roles, including two terms as chapter president in 2006 and 2022. She also served as the chair for the Southwest District of PRSA in 2011.

At the national level of PRSA, Neill has served on the Universal Accreditation Board and the PRSA Board of Ethics and Professionals Standards (BEPS) and as chair of the PRSA Educators Academy. She was inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows in 2020. She also served as the Division Chair for the Media Ethics Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) during the 2019-2020 school year and as a member of the Commission on Public Relations Education from 2019 to the present.

Neill joined Baylor in 2006 and earned her Ph.D. in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Journalism-Strategic Communication from the University of Missouri and her Bachelor of Science in Journalism-Broadcast News from the University of Kansas.

"I am always impressed but never surprised by the magnitude of talent, accomplishment and inspiration among PRSA members and other professionals within the communications community," said Dr. Felicia Blow, APR, 2022 PRSA Chair. "This year’s Individual Awards honor those who have truly dedicated themselves to setting their sights high and making a positive impact in everything they do."

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University's largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 10 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit baylor.edu/artsandsciencs.

ABOUT PRSA

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of professional development, networking and leadership opportunities. Guided by its Code of Ethics, PRSA is collectively represented by 110 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, as well as nearly 375 college and university campuses in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). PRSA's signature events include the Anvil Awards and ICON, the premier annual gathering for communications professionals and students. For more information, visit prsa.org.