A Look into Our Winning Diversity Award Submission
Posted By:
Minnesota PRSA Admin
Posted On: 2025-12-01T20:53:36Z
A Look into Minnesota PRSA's Award-winning Chapter Diversity Award Submission
For the fourth time in five years, Minnesota PRSA has been recognized nationally for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. At PRSA ICON in Washington, D.C., in October, our chapter earned second place in the 2025 Chapter Diversity Awards. This is a testament to the intentional work and collaboration of our board, volunteers and members. Winning takes work, and this achievement reflects the dedication of those who continue to prioritize inclusive programming and meaningful dialogue.
What led to this recognition?
Our award submission highlighted three signature initiatives from July 2024 through June 2025:
- Annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum: Our October 2024 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum, Understanding Bias: Uncovering Unconscious and Confirmation Bias, featured a diverse panel of speakers and small-group discussions to help attendees apply learnings in real time.
- Leadership diversity, equity and inclusion training: A half-day session held in May 2025 on emotional intelligence and psychological safety for board members, committee co-chairs and PRSSA leaders complemented monthly diversity, equity and inclusion homework and discussions happening at the board level.
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Chats: Informal, virtual, small-group conversation in March 2025 fostered connection and peer-to-peer learning and shared actionable resources.
- Even though the award only looked at programming from July 2024 through June 2025, we also included mentions (but not details) about the planning underway for the August 2025 mentorship program panel discussion that focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and the October 2025 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum to demonstrate the continued work and commitment of our chapter.
These programs were supported by research, planning and evaluation using PRSA’s RPIE model, ensuring measurable objectives and continuous improvement.
Pro tips for a strong award submission:
Submitting for an award isn’t just about listing accomplishments. It’s about telling a compelling story and connecting your objectives to measurable outcomes specifically using the RPIE method. Below are some tips to make your entry stand out. Many of these tips apply for all PRSA award submissions, including Minnesota PRSA’s upcoming Classics Awards!
- Follow the RPIE model: Organize the submission around Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. This structure makes your entry clear and professional.
- Think big: Showcase comprehensive efforts rather than focusing on a single program. Judges want to see how diversity, equity and inclusion is woven throughout the chapter’s work.
- Back it up with research: Include both quantitative and qualitative insights that guided your initiatives.
- Show measurable impact: Go beyond participation numbers. Include metrics, feedback and evidence of behavior change.
- Make it engaging: Share challenges, successes and lessons learned to create a narrative that resonates.
- Highlight innovation: Unique partnerships, creative programming or tech integrations can set your entry apart.
- Show leadership commitment: Include examples or quotes that demonstrate involvement from your board or past presidents.
- Extend your reach: If you collaborated with local organizations or PRSSA students, make sure to highlight that.
- Add visuals: Photos or design elements submitted as supporting documents help judges connect with your story.
- Proofread: A polished, error-free entry signals professionalism and attention to detail.
Join us in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Recognition of our achievements is rewarding, but we can’t rest on our laurels. The work continues! If you’re passionate about creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive communications community, consider joining the award-winning Minnesota PRSA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in 2026. Together, we can keep learning, listening and leading. Reach out to office@minnesotaprsa.org to get connected.