Phillips Earns Accreditation in Public Relations

Dr. Carrie Phillips, chief communications and marketing officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has earned the prestigious Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
The APR demonstrates professional competence, industry expertise, personal and professional dedication and values, and reflects progressive industry practices and high standards.
“Getting my Accreditation in Public Relations from PRSA has been a long-time goal of mine, and I’m thrilled to have it checked off my professional to-do list,” Phillips said. “Being in the capital city at UA Little Rock gave me access to incredible connections and opportunities that made this possible. I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned to support our university’s mission and strengthen our ties with the community.”
Phillips is a member of the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA, as well as the Executive Committee for PRSA’s working group on Counselors of Higher Education.
To prepare for accreditation, Phillips completed the APR Ready-to-Roll Program, a four- month preparation program offered in the fall at no cost to chapter members that provides guidance and support, as well as access to mentors and informational sessions. The Arkansas Chapter of PRSA has among the highest APR-to-member ratio of PRSA chapters in the country.
Candidates usually have five or more years of experience and/or a bachelor’s degree in a communications field. They must present a campaign portfolio to panelists who determine their readiness to take the computer-based examination, which is administered by the Universal Accreditation Board.
Phillips has more than 15 years of experience in higher education marketing. She has been recognized as one of the top 10 higher education marketers to follow by Social Media Strategies Summit.
Phillips earned a Doctor of Education in higher education administration from Texas Tech University, where she studied how regional public universities are using marketing efforts to mitigate the enrollment cliff. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Arts in multimedia journalism from Arkansas Tech.
In her additional professional pursuits, Phillips is a member of the American Marketing Association and holds the Professional Certified Marketing credential. She also serves as the chair of the District IV Cabinet for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the University & College Designers Association as well as a leadership academy committee member for Digital Collegium.