by Dulce Garcilazo | December 17, 2025
Traveling to Washington, D.C., for ICON 2025 was a defining moment for CSUF PRSSA. Nineteen of us made the trip across the country to connect with other chapters, learn from industry leaders and discover new areas of interest within public relations. While we arrived as classmates, many of us left as friends who shared a renewed sense of direction and motivation. ICON was more than a conference – it was an opportunity to grow.
CSUF PRSSA ICON 2025: Community Beyond the Classroom
From the moment we checked into the Hilton Hotel, we were surrounded by students, young professionals and working practitioners from across the country. That feeling of community stayed with us throughout the week. Stepping into sessions with peers who shared the same goals made the experience welcoming and inspiring, and hearing from professionals in the field reminded us how broad and dynamic the world of public relations truly is.
For senior Adam Atwi, that sense of community was his biggest takeaway.
“It was so valuable to have students and members from so many different chapters in one big space,” he said. “You never know what opportunities can come from those connections.”
Adam attended several sessions, but crisis communications resonated with him the most. He said it taught him the importance of acting quickly during unexpected situations while still protecting a brand’s image. He left ICON eager to bring new networking skills, adaptability and a stronger sense of professionalism back to campus.
Growing as Young Professionals
ICON also motivated several students to reevaluate their career goals. Senior Rigo Nava said the conference reminded him to take advantage of opportunities, even when it may require sacrifices. Networking with students, national leaders and public relations professionals helped him sharpen his communication skills and explore new tools he could apply to his work.
Rigo particularly connected with the keynote address from President and Founder of The Foley Foundation, Diane Foley, where he learned the importance of balancing personal and professional life, self-support through difficult moments and giving full effort in every task. The crisis communication session further strengthened his understanding of gathering accurate information, providing updates and coordinating messaging across departments.
He also attended the “Scrappy PR Pro’s Toolkit” session, where he learned that great public relations work does not rely on expensive software. Accessible tools like Canva, Google Suite, Zoom, Mailchimp, Muck Rack and ChatGPT can support creativity, collaboration and strategy.
The Power of Storytelling and Confidence
For junior Jocelyn Aviles, the conference emphasized storytelling, building connections and stepping outside her comfort zone.
“Networking isn’t just about collecting connections,” she said. “It’s about building relationships and learning from others.”
Jocelyn attended sessions that discussed media tools and sports public relations. She learned how Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of communication and how authenticity plays a major role in reaching audiences in the sports industry. She said ICON boosted her confidence as a communicator by giving her the chance to network with professionals and students from chapters nationwide.
Learning to Dream Bigger
For graduate student Jessica Collins, ICON offered clarity and a reminder to dream bigger. She said horizontal networking with other chapters strengthened her personable communication skills just as much as speaking with professionals. Being surrounded by motivated public relations students encouraged her to reassess her goals within PRSSA and in her future career.
Jessica attended sessions led by women founders in public relations, where she learned the importance of believing she belongs and embracing challenging opportunities to grow. She also attended sessions on media tools and storytelling, which helped her understand leadership, collaboration and building workflows that help teams succeed. Jessica said watching CSUF PRSSA’s student leaders take initiative throughout the trip inspired her to become more engaged and take more action within the chapter.
Exploring Washington, D.C. Together
Outside of the conference, students explored the city together. Many visited iconic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Others bonded over trying new restaurants, navigating the Metro for the first time and staying up late to talk at the hotel. These moments strengthened our chapter’s sense of community and turned classmates into friends.
Carrying ICON Forward
This year’s conference gave the chapter more than professional insight – it gave us confidence, clarity and a deeper understanding of the public relations industry. Each student left with new skills and perspectives, but all of us shared the same message: we returned home inspired.
As we enter a new semester, we hope to carry what we learned into our chapter meetings, client work and future internships. ICON reminded us that public relations is built on relationships, storytelling and the willingness to keep learning. It showed us what is possible when students step into new environments with curiosity, courage and an open mind.