History of IPR
Year in review
A 50-Year Timeline From The Institute for Public Relations
Chartered as the Foundation for Public Relations Research and Education
Fellowship Program brings selected professors into outstanding public relations departments or firms; 70 educators and 50 sponsors participate over two decades
First Annual Distinguished Lecture; leading scholars and practitioners explore public relations history and professional issues
Grant supports new Communication, Public Opinion and Management course at Cornell University Graduate School of Business & Public Administration
First Foundation-supported bibliography of public relations studies; later editions appear in Public Relations Review
Begin audiovisual archives project preserving contemporary professional history through interviews with leading practitioners
First book on Public Relations Law
Opinion of the Publics, a documentary film of public relations case histories, is released; ultimately seen by 15 million people
Publish A Design for Public Relations Education, the first curricular guidelines by the Commission on Public Relations Education
Launch Public Relations Review, the first peer-reviewed research journal in the field; produced by a commercial publisher since 1988
Publish Managing Your Public Relations: Guidelines for Nonprofit Organizations
With University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, initiate an annual week-long symposium for high-potential public relations leaders
Introduce Best Master’s Thesis Award for graduate PR student research; now sponsored by Northwestern Mutual
The Executive Speechmaker provides a structured approach to speech programs
Community Service Competition launched with National Communication Council for Human Services; students mount public relations campaigns for local charities
Pathfinder Award, funded by practitioner, educator and author Allen H. Center, created to recognize original program of scholarly research
First Golden Writing Awards for public relations students
Advancing Public Relations: Recommended Curriculum for Graduate Public Relations Education, published with Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
Begin annual breakfast at AEJMC to foster closer relations with key educators
Publish first book on New Technology and Public Relations, including early look at the Internet
Name changed to Institute for Public Relations Research and Education
Produce Communications that Count video on value of public relations
Public Relations Executive Forum established for high-potential, midcareer corporate communications people; now co-sponsored by Arthur W. Page Society
Ketchum Excellence in PR Research Award starts as the Smart Grant and Internship
PR Evaluation Summit Meeting lays groundwork for Commission on Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation in 1998
Institute’s first website begins offering all of our publications free
First International Symposium, When in Rome Do We Do as the Romans Do? presented with University of Florida College of Business Administration
Corporate Communications Policy Concerning the Internet surveys senior-level corporate public relations officers
Institute research award presented at first Interdisciplinary Public Relations Research Conference at University of Maryland; IPRRC now held in conjunction with University of Miami each year
Establish Alexander Hamilton Medal for lifetime contribution to professional public relations
Psychology and Public Relations Today is the first in a series of interdisciplinary bibliographies sponsored by General Motors
Primer of Public Relations Research by Dr. Don W. Stacks published by Guilford Press
Co-sponsor Arthur W. Page Society Case Writing Competition to develop more business school teaching material involving public relations
International Index of Bribery for News Coverage published in cooperation with the International Public Relations Association
Create Golden Ruler Award for excellence in measurement; renamed for Jack Felton in 2006
With PRWeek, explore measurement from perspectives of clients, agencies, researchers and educators
International Distinguished Lecture by Harold Burson, and first Business School Seminar with Henley Management College and PRWeek-UK
Public Relations Leadership Forum launched for highpotential agency executives; co-sponsored by Page Society and Council of PR Firms
Science Beneath the Art column debuts in PR News
50th anniversary celebrated with launch of Summit on Corporate Communications
The Institute funded a third edition of an international PR case studies book by Dr. Judy Turk and Linda Scanlan, sponsored by Schering-Plough and Philips Electronics
Dr. W. Timothy Coombs authored “Crisis Management and Communications,” examining the research base in this area
IPR published “A Professional’s Guide to Guest Lecturing,” a book by Tom Martin of The College of Charleston
IPR featured in cover story in PR Magazine, flagship publication of the China International Public Relations Association
Richard Edelman delivers the 50th Annual Distinguished Lecture, “Reimagining Our Profession, Public Relations for a Complex World”. Bill Nielsen accepts the Alexander Hamilton Medal for lifetime achievement in public relations.