The 2015 Chester Burger Scholarship for Excellence in Public
Relations
If you will be a public relations graduate student this fall, we invite you to apply for the Chester Burger
Scholarship for Excellence in Public Relations, which honors the achievements and leadership of one of
America’s leading, most honored public relations counselors and mentors.
The award of $1,000 is presented by the PRSA Foundation, Inc.; The Foundation, Arthur W. Page
Society; the Institute for Public Relations; and individual donors. The award will be made available for
the 2015-16 academic year.
PURPOSE OF AWARD
To encourage graduate public relations students to pursue careers in corporate public relations, with the
goal of making the public relations function more essential to the successful achievement of corporate
goals consistent with the public interest, the precepts of sound business and the needs of key stakeholders.
REQUIRED ESSAY
Applicants must submit an essay of up to 1,000 words that cogently summarizes their views on why the
corporate public relations function must be deeply engaged in C-Suite discussions and decisions affecting
communication mandates that address corporate reputation, internal change management, brand and issue
management, ethics, social responsibility and related areas.
The essay requires minimal research in support of the applicant’s views, focusing primarily on
the applicant’s strategic thinking and philosophical perspective. Chester Burger's professional career was
devoted to assisting CEOs and Boards of Directors in understanding and applying professional public
relations theory and practice to manage large-scale corporate issues in the public interest – issues
that went far beyond publicity, media relations and marketing communications.
Your essay should also include brief comments on other academic work you feel will contribute strongly
to your success in public relations, as well as list any honors or awards that you have received and
leadership experience you have gained on or off campus.
Essay formatting:
 Double-spaced text.
 12-point, Times-Roman typeface.
 Paginated and proofread.
 Follows AP Style.
 Applicant's complete address, phone and
email on the application form.
ELIGIBILITY/JUDGING
Candidates must be enrolled or continuing in a graduate studies degree program in public relations,
journalism or related fields, effective fall 2015. Candidates must have an undergraduate GPA of at least
3.0 out of 4.
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A candidate does not have to be a PRSSA member to apply. The award may be used at any U.S. college
or university offering a graduate program in public relations or related field. Entries will be judged by a
committee including three senior public relations professionals, each of whom will represent one of the
three founding organizations for this award.
OFFICIAL NOMINATION FORM MUST:

Be completed by the candidate as directed, signed by the candidate, then signed by a faculty
adviser or PRSSA Faculty or Professional Adviser.
Completed official nomination form also must be accompanied by:




Up to 1,000-word essay related to the award’s purpose (see Required Essay).
Letter of recommendation of no more than two pages from a faculty member or PRSSA Faculty
or Professional Adviser.
One additional letter of recommendation of no more than two pages from an internship employer,
educator or other individual who knows the applicant and can address his or her potential as a
public relations counselor to management.
One-page résumé.
APPLICATION MATERIALS PREPARATION AND FORMAT
Must be typed, no less than 12 pt. with no less than one inch left and right margins.
 May not contain information or documents other than those specified above.
 Should be carefully reviewed for typos, spelling and grammatical errors. Applications with errors
may be disqualified automatically.
All materials (nomination form and other materials listed above) must be submitted in one PDF
document.
DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION
All materials (essay, nomination form, résumé and supporting letters) must be submitted as a PDF and
sent via email so that they are received by 5 p.m. ET, Friday, June 12, 2015.
Send materials to: burgerscholarship@prsafoundation.org
JUDGING CRITERIA
Applications will be judged using the following criteria:
 Quality and thoughtfulness of the required 1,000-word essay
 Academic achievement in public relations and overall undergraduate studies
 Demonstrated leadership on and/or off-campus
 Practical experience, e.g. internships, other work/service
 Commitment to public relations, particularly as expressed in the candidate’s essay
 Writing skills as demonstrated throughout the application
 Letters of recommendation
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Application for the 2015 Chester Burger Scholarship
for Excellence in Public Relations
Submit a PDF of all materials to burgerscholarship@prsafoundation.org.
(Include 'Chester Burger Scholarship for Excellence in Public Relations’ in subject line.) by 5 p.m. Friday, June
12, 2015.
Candidate
Candidate’s School
Candidate’s School Address
City
State
Phone (
)
Zip
Email:
Candidate’s Permanent Address
City
State
Phone (
)
Zip
Email:
Overall GPA (undergraduate):
GPA in PR courses (undergraduate, if PR courses were taken):
GPA for graduate courses completed thus far, at the end of last quarter/semester (write N/A if no graduate
courses completed as of application):
To be completed by Adviser:
As of September 2015, the candidate will be enrolled in graduate study.
Yes
No
Adviser Name
Faculty
PRSSA Adviser
School or Company
City
Phone (
State
)
Zip
Email:
We certify that the information provided in the application materials submitted by this candidate is
accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Candidate Signature
Date
Adviser Signature
Date
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Application for the 2015 Chester Burger Scholarship
for Excellence in Public Relations
Attach your responses to each of the following questions to your application form.
Place your name at the top of each page used. Number the pages.
1. Submit an essay of up-to 1,000 words that cogently summarizes your views on why the corporate
public relations function must be deeply engaged in C-Suite discussions and decisions affecting
communication mandates that address corporate reputation, internal change management, brand and issue
management, ethics, social responsibility and related areas.
2. Comment briefly on other academic work you feel will contribute strongly to your success in public
relations.
3. List any honors or awards that you have received and leadership experience you have gained on or off
campus.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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About Chester Burger
Chester Burger, APR, Fellow PRSA, in 1971
The founding donors of the Chester Burger Award fund emphasized that Burger has long been viewed as one
of the pre-eminent leaders in the public relations profession, helping to shape the discipline of public relations
counseling at major global corporations, and is revered for his personal dedication to generations of colleagues. He
died on March 22, 2011, at the age of 90.
"Chet is the only person to have received the Institute for Public Relations’ Hamilton Medal for lifetime
service and delivered our annual Distinguished Lecture — on the same evening," said Frank Ovaitt, IPR President
and CEO. “His message that night reinforced how essential it is for public relations professionals to pursue truth and
credibility in an era of disbelief. How fitting it is to again honor Chet — a true thought leader."
Former Arthur W. Page Society President Julia Hood said that Burger, who received the Page Society's Hall
of Fame Award in 1992, represents the “highest standards” of the profession. “His influence extended across the
industry and its leading organizations,” Hood said. “The Page Society is proud to team up with the IPR and the
PRSA Foundation in honoring him in this way.”
Debbie Mason, APR, Fellow PRSA, past president of the PRSA Foundation Board of Trustees, said, “As
the founding chair of The College of Fellows, Chet Burger helped PRSA establish the highest standards of ethics
and professionalism. But I believe he will most be remembered for his personal support for literally hundreds of
individuals throughout their careers. Chet provided counsel, advice and inspiration to generation after generation of
public relations people and, in doing so, literally shaped the way our profession has evolved.”
Burger’s career is of legendary proportions, from being in the advanced guard of broadcast journalism to
providing public relations counsel to America’s leading corporations. Burger, honored by the U.S. Information
Agency with its award “For Outstanding Service to the United States” in 1995, was instrumental in establishing
public relations as a management discipline and an integral part of the policymaking process of well-managed
corporations. His insights and counsel were greatly prized by the owners and senior executives of public relations
agencies small and large, earning him the title, “the counselors’ counselor.”
Burger joined the Columbia Broadcasting System in 1941 as a page boy. During World War II, he served in
the U.S. Army Air Corps. He then returned to CBS as a “visualizer” (the first news readers) and developed methods
for reporting world news on TV broadcasts in their early days. In April 1946, he became the nation's first television
news reporter on CBS, and also served as the first president of the Radio-Newsreel-Television Working Press
Association of New York.
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Burger eventually became national manager of CBS Television News, leaving that position in 1955 to enter
the public relations field with the Ruder Finn agency, and then as president of Communications Counselors, Inc.
later founding his own firm, Chester Burger and Co. Inc. During a 24-year period, his clients included American
Bankers Association, Sears Roebuck, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing, Communications Satellite Corporation,
American Cancer Society, Occidental Petroleum, Texas Instruments and Bell Canada. He was especially proud of
his relationship with AT&T, where he was a consultant to management for 33 years. The Telephone Pioneers of
America elected him an Honorary Member — one of only two persons honored who was not a former Bell System
employee.
After what he called “retirement” in 1988, he became counsel to James E. Arnold Consultants, Inc., the
successor firm to his company, and continued with a wide range of professional and volunteer work. In 1990,
Burger became the founding chair of the PRSA College of Fellows and guided the organization in its initial years.
He served as an advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs. In August 2010, the Air Force
presented him with its highest civilian award. His relationship with the CIA continued for several decades,
culminating in multiple awards of recognition for meritorious service to the nation.
Giving back to the country was a Burger trademark. During the years of the civil rights movement, he served
the National Urban League as an officer and member of its Board of Trustees. He was a founder of the Black
Executive Exchange Program, and received the Outstanding Mentor Award for “21 years of counsel and support to
minorities in public relations.” The United Negro College Fund awarded him its Distinguished Service Citation.
He was the author of six books on management subjects, including “The Chief Executive.” And in 2007, he
published a book that reflected his lifelong passion for New York City and its history, “Unexpected New York,”
which featured his photos and historical text. His lifetime papers are in The Center for American History at The
University of Texas in Austin.
About the PRSA Foundation
Founded in 1990, the PRSA Foundation is an independent charitable foundation that raises funds to support
scholarships for public relations students, to sponsor research projects that impact the practice of public relations
and the profession’s ability to serve the public good, and initiatives that build greater understanding of the role of
public relations among business and government leaders. It is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit foundation with offices in New
York City.
About the Arthur W. Page Society
The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications
executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession. Membership consists primarily of chief
communications officers of Fortune 500 corporations, the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies, and
leading academics from the nation's top business and communications schools. The Page Society is dedicated to
strengthening the management policy role of chief public relations officers.
About the Institute for Public Relations
The Institute for Public Relations is an independent nonprofit foundation dedicated to the science beneath the art of
public relations.™ IPR supports three kinds of research in our field: the underlying social science (or basic
research) of public relations, benchmarking/best practices, and planning/measurement research used in public
relations programming.
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