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The ROI on Service

Posted by admincarolyn on Aug. 27, 2025  /  Blog  /  Subscribe 0

Written by Nancy Weaver, M.A., APR, Communications Director for UNLV's College of Education

TLDR: &br;I owe my career to PRSA. 

The Backstory: &br;Like many of us in this industry, public relations was not on my career bingo card. I finished my political science degree and headed off to work for elected officials with dreams of shaping effective environmental policy.

Like any young professional, I thrived on opportunities to build my skills, which eventually led to working in media relations, public involvement, and community outreach. I quickly realized that, if I wanted to progress in these arenas, I needed to build skills to drive smart strategies. 

Fortunately, I landed in an agency with strong ties to PRSA and a mentor who encouraged me to take advantage of the professional development and networking opportunities at the local and national levels. 

I’ve had some great positions over the years with amazing organizations, but there’s an inevitable common thread connecting many of those positions: I needed to move out to move up.

Transitioning from a young pro to higher positions required leadership and management experience I didn’t have. So, I turned to PRSA. In addition to leveraging the webinars, conferences, and publications that came with my membership, I gave back through service on committees and board positions. I learned how to leverage the strengths of my fellow volunteers, organize complex events, manage budgets, and handle difficult conversations. 

While I am honored to have received the inaugural PRSA Western District Platinum Award and the LVVC Volunteer of the year award, the most precious things I’ve received in my years of service are the lifelong friends and national network of colleagues in different practice types and industry sectors that I can turn to for advice, perspectives, and the occasional gripe session. In addition to celebrating (or commiserating) professional milestones, we’ve faced marriages, divorces, parenthood, and other life milestones together. I don’t know where I’d be without them.

The Pitch: &br;Make the time to pay it forward. You won’t regret it.

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