FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2009
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GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY'S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF POLITICAL MANAGEMENT NAMES 2009 VALEDICTORIAN
Student part of GWU's inaugural online Public Relations Master's program
Washington, DC - George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) has named Rhonda J. Ellis the school's 2009 valedictorian. A student in GSPM's inaugural online Strategic Public Relations master's program, Ellis was conferred the Henry D. Paley Award in recognition of her academic excellence and achievement in a May 16 ceremony at Lisner Auditorium on the GW campus.
Ellis earned her recognition while employed full time, taking advantage of GSPM's new online Strategic Public Relations program. As valedictorian for the entire school's students, both traditional and online, Ellis demonstrates that academic excellence is no longer just the province of an on-campus learning environment.
"We're very proud of Rhonda Ellis's achievement in the Strategic PR Program," said Chris Arterton, Dean of the GSPM. "She reflects the GSPM's history of service and accomplishment, as well as its future."
"The rigor and depth of GW's public relations program has changed my self view and approach to communications with research and strategic thinking assuming a more central role," says Ellis. "The online format created a tight-knit, world-wide student community free of visual filters and allowed us to benefit from the rich resources available on the Internet."
The Master of Professional Studies in Strategic Public Relations program within GSPM focuses on the public policy system and the advocacy role played by public relations firms and communications operations within corporate, government and non-profit organizations. Both classroom and online venues are offered. Ellis was part of the first class to graduate from the Strategic Public Relations program, which was launched in September 2007.
Ellis is employed by Pepco Holdings, Inc., a Fortune 500 energy company serving
1.9 million customers in Washington, D.C., and the mid-Atlantic region. Ellis has progressed through a variety of communications positions, currently serving as Manager, Management & Employee Communications, responsible for executive, shareholder and internal communications. She earned her undergraduate degree in International Relations from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Ellis lives in Annapolis, Md., with her husband, Dave.
The Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at The George Washington University seeks to improve politics by educating its students and professionals in the tools, principles and values of participatory democracy, preparing them for careers as ethical and effective advocates and leaders at the international, national and local levels.
The Strategic PR Program, housed in the GSPM, focuses on preparing its students to navigate the intersection of public policy, media and business and to advise clients and employers on ethical and effective communications strategies to achieve business goals.
For more information about GW's Graduate School of Political Management and its Strategic PR Program, visit http://www.gspm.org.
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