Level Up Your PR Expertise: Why Judging the Renaissance Awards is a Win for You
We all know the importance of collaboration, especially within the PR industry. After all, PR is about building mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their audiences. As WMPRSA members, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen our relationship with another chapter—PRSA Pittsburgh. Earlier this year, the Pittsburgh chapter graciously helped us by judging entries for our annual PRoof Awards. They rallied their professionals to evaluate our entries, allowing us to celebrate the best of West Michigan’s PR industry.
Now, it’s time for us to return the favor.
PRSA Pittsburgh is preparing for their annual Renaissance Awards and they need our support. This time, it's our turn to rally our professionals and help them honor the standout PR talent in their city. We need at least 20 PR pros to volunteer as judges by October 31. Not only does this help a fellow chapter, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to gain insights and set yourself up for success when the PRoof Awards roll around next year.
Gaining Insight into PR Trends Outside of Our Region
While it’s important not to leave our friends in Pittsburgh hanging, there’s a huge upside to judging these awards. Volunteering to evaluate other chapters' entries offers a unique window into innovative campaigns happening across the country. By reviewing submissions, you get an educational deep dive into what’s working for other PR teams—and more importantly, how you can apply those insights to elevate your own work.
Lisa Taylor, a director at Sabo PR, knows this well. Her team has taken home several awards at the PRoof Awards in recent years, and Lisa herself has served as a judge for other chapter awards multiple times. She’s learned a lot from each experience.
“It’s easy to get stuck in a rhythm with recurring projects,” Lisa said. “But opportunities like this help me take a step back and consider ways to refine our strategies and tactics.”
The Grand Rapids region is expanding, and with that growth comes rising expectations. We’re no longer “punching above our weight class”—we’ve moved up, and our PR strategies need to follow suit. This is your chance to level up by seeing how national trends and strategies in comparable cities can inspire local projects and campaigns.
Last year, I had the privilege of judging several awards for Chicago’s chapter and was blown away by the innovative campaigns and tactics I reviewed. It opened my eyes to new ideas I hadn’t even considered.
Sparking New Ideas for Your Own Work
Who doesn’t love a good case study? Volunteering as a judge gives you the chance to evaluate others’ work, sparking fresh ideas that can fuel your next big PR campaign. From social media strategies to crisis communication tactics, you’ll gain insights into approaches we don’t always see here in West Michigan.
“Volunteering to help judge another chapter’s awards program is insightful in a number of ways,” Lisa shared. “Reading about the unique approaches and achievements of other PR professionals inspires me to get more creative in my own work.”
Judging also teaches valuable lessons on what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to crafting your own award-winning entries.
“Judging also helped reiterate the importance of closely following entry guidelines, especially if a rubric is provided. To be objective in our review of entries, judges evaluate based on very specific criteria,” Lisa continued. “Keeping this detail in mind helped us improve the strength of Sabo PR’s entries for future PRoof Awards with WMPRSA. While having award-worthy work is step number one, making sure you address all the aspects judges are looking for is critical for submitting an award-winning entry.”
Step Up and Make a Difference
As I mentioned earlier, it’s crucial for us to roll up our sleeves and return the favor to our friends in Pittsburgh. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also benefits you and your organization in the long run. You’ll gain insights from another region, learn creative tactics you may have never considered, and understand exactly what makes an award-winning entry stand out—setting you up for success in future competitions.
Now is the time to step up and get involved. If you’re interested in volunteering as a judge for the Renaissance Awards, please sign up by October 31. Judging will take place November 4 to November 22.
About The Author:
As the Marketing and Communications Manager at The Right Place, Allyssa Murphy manages the organization’s website, social media channels, videography, blog, email campaigns, and digital marketing efforts for The Right Place, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center-West, and Tech Week Grand Rapids.
Before joining The Right Place, Allyssa worked as a Communications Specialist for the nonprofit D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s in Grand Rapids. Earlier in her career, she served as the Marketing Assistant for Whaley Children’s Center in Flint, Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising & Public Relations from Grand Valley State University and an Associate of Applied Science in Media Arts & Entertainment Technology from Mott Community College.
