Professor and Program Director of Media Communication Nancy Kerr, Ph.D. at Champlain College in Burlington has successfully completed the examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use the APR professional designation. The announcement was made by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communications organizations that directs this competency certification program.

The Accreditation program aims to improve the practice of public relations by assessing competence in 60 areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with the profession. The examination is designed for public relations professionals and educators with a minimum of five years of job experience in the field. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous process, including presentation of a portfolio and public relations campaign to a Readiness Review panel of three peers, sitting for an oral exam, and sitting for a computer-based examination, are granted the APR.

"Earning the APR reflects a mastery of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed in our increasingly complex profession, "according to Felicia Blow, APR, chair of the Universal Accreditation Board. "Practitioners who achieve the designation are demonstrating their commitment not only to our profession, but also to a strong code of ethics and to the betterment of their organization and clients."

Kerr, a Shelburne resident, has spent her career teaching and working in the communications field, specifically in broadcast and public relations. She holds a Ph.D. from Boston College, two masters' degrees from Syracuse University and an undergraduate degree from University of Delaware. For the last nine years, she has worked at Champlain College as a professor and program director for the media communication program where she oversees majors in public relations, communication, broadcast and streaming media, and mass communication. In addition, Kerr is the owner of Spinnaker Communications, a public relations firm specializing in public relations for non-profit organizations.

"Completing the portfolio and public relations campaign, and studying for the APR Examination has been a real commitment, but truly enjoyable process, which I hope to bring back into my classroom and share all that I have learned with my students to make them even more valuable to the profession" said Kerr.

Professionals earning the APR must maintain their credential through continuing professional development, providing leadership to the profession and serving their local communities. The Universal Accreditation Board was established in 1998 by a coalition of public relations professional organizations representing all segments of the public relations profession.