A.Q. Miller School Student Awarded National Public Relations Scholarship
Sept. 7, 2023
Advertising and public relations major Jalen Barlow, Hutchinson, is one of three recipients nationwide of the $2,500 Inez Kaiser scholarship. The scholarship fund is coordinated by the Greater KC Public Relations Society of America chapter.
Winners were selected based on demonstration of Inez Kaiser’s commitment to leadership, public relations excellence, and community volunteerism. Inez Kaiser was the first African American woman in the United States to own her own PR agency with national clients.
“Winning this scholarship is truly an honor to me and I would like to thank all of my professors and fellow peers for helping me get to this point in my academic career,” Barlow said. “I couldn’t have achieved getting such an award if it weren’t for their continued support and guidance.
“I want to especially thank Professor LaGree, who encouraged me to apply for this opportunity and gave me more information about the Greater KC Public Relations Society of America,” Barlow said.
Barlow is starting his second year as an ambassador for the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. In this role, he creates social media and website content, plans and manages events, and promotes the school’s programs to prospective students. He also recently completed a marketing and communications internship with Corbion.
His career goal is to hold a leadership position in the business or marketing industry. “I feel like the path I’m on with the degree that I’m earning can help me reach those goals,” Barlow said.
Barlow will be recognized at the annual Greater KC PRSA awards banquet in October. Advertising and public relations professionals from across the greater Kansas City area attend the event.
The GKC-PRSA chapter established the Kaiser scholarship fund in 2021. Inez Y. Kaiser was a Kansas City pioneer, entrepreneur, and public relations business owner. She was the first Black woman in the nation to own a public relations firm with national clients. In 1966, she was the first Black woman to join the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Kansas State University’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a pre-professional society dedicated to enhancing its members’ knowledge of public relations through networking and professional development opportunities. The organization networks approximately 10,000 members across the nearly 300 chapters at colleges and universities with leading industry experts.