Rick Fischer, professor of journalism at The University of Memphis, will be inducted into the College of Fellows of the Public Relations Society of America in November.
Fischer’s colleague, Barbara DeSanto, nominated him for the honor. The induction will take place during the PRSA’s International Conference in San Francisco.
“The nomination is based on excellence in a variety of fields,” Fischer said.
The PRSA, headquartered in New York, has 20,000 members representing a broad range of business and industry. The College of Fellows was established to honor senior practitioners and educators who have made significant contributions to the public relations profession. In its 12 years of “Legacy and Leadership,” the college has admitted 395 people.
PRSA Fellows must have at least 20 years experience in public relations, and Fischer has been eligible for about two years.
After nomination, candidates must submit five letters of recommendation. According to Fischer, this almost deterred him from seeking the induction because he didn’t want to bother people with letter writing.
“After I was nominated, I had several people come to me and say, ‘I want to write a letter,’” Fischer said.
Fischer has been on the faculty at The U of M since 1989, where he teaches classes in public relations and serves as the advisor for the PRSSA. Before coming to Memphis, Fischer served in the Navy as a public affairs officer, naval flight officer, mission commander and tactical coordinator. He received a vice presidential commendation from George H. Bush for the work he did while Bush was visiting the base where Fischer was stationed. He has also earned his Navy wings and several top awards for public affairs programming.
Fischer’s specialty is applied research. Applied research deals with taking research or statistical information and applying it to benefit an organization or business. He is the research coach for the graduate public relations program at the University of Switzerland at Lugano, where he has done applied research for organizations like the International Red Cross. Locally, Fischer and his students do applied research for the Pink Palace, Memphis Zoo and several non-profit organizations.
Fischer also teaches online in the master’s degree program. He heads the public relations sequence for the journalism department and is the author of the theory section of “Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice.”
“I like having him as a teacher,” said Dennis Manning, a journalism major. “I’ve had several classes with him. He’s very easy to get along with, and he’s very accessible.”
