The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) announced Monday, March 14 that Mineral Point Unified School District Communications Director Joelle Doye is the national recipient of the NSPRA Foundation for the Advancement of Education Seminar Scholarship.

Each year, the Foundation offers two scholarships to individuals who are new to school public relations with the intention of expanding their knowledge of the profession and introducing them to the benefits of NSPRA membership. One of these scholarships is designated for a school public relations practitioner who is an ethnic minority.

To be eligible for application candidates must write an essay and:

  • Have worked in school public relations less than three years;
  • Have never attended an NSPRA National Seminar;
  • Be employed in a full-time professional school public relations position;
  • Be a member in good standing of an NSPRA state chapter (unless there is no chapter in the member’s state); and
  • Have not yet registered for the current year’s National Seminar.

At its March meeting, the NSPRA Executive Board selected Doye as the recipient of the national scholarship for a non-ethnic minority.

The scholarship, valued at approximately $1,000, entitles her to attend the 63rd annual NSPRA Seminar in Chicago July 16-20 and be recognized at the Annual Meeting/Celebration of Achievement and Leaders’ Meeting at the Chicago Downtown Marriott.

This honor ranks Doye as one of the rising stars of school public relations in the United States. This comes on the heels of her November 2015 award where she was named the top up and coming school public relations professional in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association.

How exciting to be selected for the Foundation Seminar Scholarship!,” commented NSPRA President Susan Hardy Brooks of Oklahoma to Doye in an email.  “We had lots of nominations, so consider it a real honor.  I look forward to meeting you in Chicago in July!”

Since 1935, the National School Public Relations Association, centered in Rockville, Maryland, has been providing school communication training, products, and services to school leaders throughout the United States, Canada, and the U.S. Department of Defense Dependents Schools worldwide.

NSPRA’s mission is to advance education through responsible public relations and communication that leads to success for all students.