Gemma Puglisi Named PRSA 2026 Outstanding Educator

This month, American University (AU) professor Gemma Puglisi will travel to Orlando to be honored as an outstanding educator by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). As a professor at the School of Communication (SOC), Puglisi works to provide students with real-world experience, both in the classroom and as a faculty sponsor to AU’s PRSSA chapter. The PRSA conference will honor that commitment to public relations education with the Outstanding Educator Award.

This award isn’t the first for Puglisi. Her work in both the field of public relations and education has earned her a spot in The National Capital Chapter PRSA Hall of Fame, and awards including PRNEWS Top Women in PR and The Washington PR Woman of the Year.

As faculty advisor for AU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Puglisi helps the student members plan and host events on and off campus. Last year, the student members planned and co-hosted the national PRSSA conference, ICON 2025. This fall, under Puglisi’s advisement, the organization hosted Olympic ice skater Ilia Malinin and presented him with the Icons of DC Award.

"I couldn't have asked for a better advisor, mentor, and friend! Gemma never fails to encourage us to be our best selves, and always listens to our opinions," said Gabi Lefkowitz, AUPRSSA director of external events. "She connects us with big names in the PR industry for both our events and future careers. Gemma is our #1 cheerleader!"

Puglisi’s dedication to giving her students and members of AUPRSSA hands-on opportunities is what makes her stand out to both PRSA and her students as an outstanding educator.

Puglisi teaches AU’s public relations major capstone course, bringing an innovative approach to classroom learning. Each semester, she partners with a non-profit organization for her students to work with, giving them the opportunity to practice a spectrum of PR strategies and tactics in the real world. The partnerships give students hands-on experience in strategic communications and allows them to help non-profits with areas such as research, planning, and promotion.

Senior Kendall Rapp had Puglisi as a professor once before and was excited to take one of her classes again.

“Her guidance and mentorship have carried our team through a genuinely tough client case," said Rapp.

This semester, the class is partnering with the Bataan Legacy Historical Society to advocate for the Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to World War II Army and Navy nurses in honor of their service. Puglisi’s class partnerships allow students to organize campus information sessions, student outreach initiatives, and educational programming to encourage support for the recognition.

Allyson Wong is a senior in Puglisi’s capstone course and said the class has given her the opportunity to apply her PR knowledge to a course that really matters.

“From organizing tabling events to planning a panel on Capitol Hill, I've been able to see how strategic communication can make a real difference,” said Wong.