Connecting at Connexions: Why Conferences Matter

By Beth Atkinson, 2018 CPRS-VI Conference Grant Recipient

The sound of laughter and applause were common sounds at Connexions 2018, this year’s Canadian Public Relation Society (CPRS) conference. The applause and standing ovations were not just for speakers, but for fellow public relations professionals who received awards for their contributions to the public relations community and CPRS.

Connexions was my first CPRS conference. I am pretty sure I was one of - if not the - youngest and the most inexperienced person at the conference. I didn’t really know anyone, but everyone I met was welcoming and willing to share their background, advice and support with me.

The CPRS National Conference, Connexions, was held in Charlottetown, PEI, May 27 to 29, 2018.

The opportunity to be in Charlottetown and to meet people from all over Canada gave me a better understanding of public relations in Canada and the future of the profession.

As for the keynotes and workshop sessions, they represented a great balance of topics from privacy to content creation.

The conference also allowed me to learn about emerging trends and best practices, which will be very useful to me as I finish my degree in Professional Communications at Royal Roads University and when I enter the workforce in the fall.

The most useful part for me was that the fact that the majority of the speakers spoke about their experiences and had cases or incidences to draw on. The key takeaways were applicable and often came with a handout summarizing them or a template that I can use in the future.

I learned so much at this conference and have already marked my calendar for next year’s conference in Edmonton, Evolving Expectations.

Thank you to CPRS-VI and all those who helped make Connexions 2018 so memorable – this conference really made me feel #CPRSProud.

Vancouver Island was well represented at Connexions, the CPRS national conference, held this year in Charlottetown, PEI May 27 to 29. Left to right: Jonathon Dyck, Shauna DeBodt, Peggy Stuart Kulmala, Tatiana Chabeaux-Smith, Beth Atkinson and Erin Beattie. Photo by Stephanie Lake, The Canadian Press Images.

More photos in the CPRS-VI FlickR album here.

Beth Atkinson was the 2018 recipient of the CPRS-VI Conference Grant, which paid her way to the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) conference May 27-29 in Charlottetown, PEI.

While at Connexions, Beth connected with hundreds of public relations pros from across Canada for high powered networking and to learn from a stellar combination of keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions and evening celebrations.

"Well deserved, Beth," said CPRS-VI President Peggy Kulmala APR. "Your energy, initiative and commitment to grow and learn is impressive!"