My Presidency: A Year in Review

If you had sat me down a year ago and told me that I would be wrapping up a full year as GVPRSSA president, I would have laughed right in your face. At the time, I was focused on stepping into a new role, building my skills, and figuring things out one step at a time, not leading an entire organization. What I didn’t realize then was how quickly things can change and how much you can grow when you’re pushed outside of your comfort zone. This year challenged me in ways I didn’t expect, forced me to adapt on the fly, and ultimately shaped me into a more confident and capable leader. More than anything, it has been a year of growth, resilience, and professional development that I’ll carry with me moving forward.

April 2025: Last April, I was excited to step into the role of Programming Director and in the beginning stages of planning the meetings for the semester. Never in a million years would I have guessed that the upcoming year would take the path it did.

May 2025: I was deep in the planning stages for Fall semester, still loving my role in programming. Using my connections, I was finding all sorts of exciting speakers that I reached out to for our meetings. The upcoming year was looking promising and I was so excited to come back to Grand Valley in August.

June 2025: I left for Study Abroad, but still remained dedicated to PRSSA Eboard. Going as far as taking a meeting at midnight from my bathroom floor so I didn’t wake up my roommates. (Genuinely still can’t believe I did that).

July 2025: London was my home for this entire month, and it is still one of the best things I have ever done. My slideshow prep started this month, and I started creating all the visuals I was going to be using for the upcoming year. I gained so much confidence after studying abroad not only personally but also professionally. 

August 2025: Finally, the month, I got to go back to school. Junior year felt like it was no match for me and my newfound confidence. GVPRSSA had a table at GV’s Campus Life Night. We talked to so many people, connecting with tons of potential new members. Classes started, I was feeling good about the upcoming year.

September 2025: This month, I had the opportunity to step into the role of president. Picture me being unexpectedly thrown into a new position with no idea what I was doing, perfect, a new challenge. I accepted the role on the condition that I could also remain Programming Director, and I loved every second of it.

October 2025: Student Philanthropy Month, our biggest fundraising event, not just for GVPRSSA but for all of Grand Valley’s registered student organizations. I had been president for only nine days and needed to figure things out fast. We hit the ground running and ended up raising more money than any other organization, and the most in GVPRSSA history. I was thrilled. This month I had to learn a lot of new leadership skills very quickly.

November 2025: After the whirlwind of October, November was all about finding my rhythm as president. I started to feel more confident in decision-making and leading meetings. We focused on maintaining engagement with members and continuing to bring in strong speakers. It finally felt like I wasn’t just surviving in the role, I was actually growing into it.

December 2025: As the semester wrapped up, I took time to reflect on everything we had accomplished in just a few short months. Balancing finals, leadership, and life felt like a challenge, but it showed me how much I was capable of handling. Ending the semester on a high note made me even more excited for what was ahead.

January 2026: A fresh semester brought a fresh perspective. I came back more motivated than ever to build on the momentum we had created in the fall. We welcomed new members, introduced new programming, and I made it a priority to be more intentional in my leadership.

February 2026: This month was all about consistency and connection. We continued hosting meetings, strengthening relationships, and building a strong sense of community within GVPRSSA. One of the highlights was our trip to Chicago for the PR Palooza conference. Getting to travel with my friends and experience a professional conference together was incredibly rewarding. We learned from industry professionals, gained new insights, and, honestly, just had a lot of fun as a group. It was one of those moments where I could really see how much this organization had grown, not just in numbers, but in energy, confidence, and involvement. This was truly one of my favorite memories of the entire year, bonding with the team on the train ride and hanging out in the hotel after the conference. I look back on this trip with such fond memories.

March 2026: By March, everything started to feel like a lot. What had once felt exciting and new quickly became overwhelming as responsibilities piled up. Balancing leadership, academics, and everything else going on in life pushed me in ways I hadn’t experienced before. There were definitely moments of stress where I questioned if I was doing enough or doing things right. But through that, I learned how to adapt, prioritize, and keep showing up even when it wasn’t easy. As challenging as it was, March pushed me to grow the most and made me a stronger, more resilient leader.

April 2026: And just like that, we’re here, wrapping up the year. It’s hard to put into words everything this experience has meant to me. What started as something I never saw coming turned into one of the most defining chapters of my college career. I’ve grown as a leader, a professional, and a person, and I’m so proud of everything GVPRSSA was able to accomplish this year.

Reflecting on the Year

Looking back, this year has been so much more than a leadership position; it’s been a period of growth, challenge, and transformation that I’ll carry with me long after college. This experience tested me in ways I didn’t expect, but it also showed me exactly what I’m capable of. As I step into a new leadership role, I’m excited to take everything I’ve learned and apply it at an even higher level. I’m proud of what I built this year and even more confident in what I can do next. GVPRSSA has given me more than I ever expected, and I’m leaving this role not only proud of what we accomplished, but confident in the leader and person I’ve become because of it.

Sophie is a junior majoring in Advertising & Public Relations with a minor in Psychology and an emphasis in Public Relations. She is also a student in the Frederik Meijer Honors College. Sophie currently serves as the GVPRSSA President and Programming Director, along with working as an Account Executive for her third semester at GrandPR. Her favorite part of her job is seeing how all the new members discover a love for PR through the guest speakers. After graduation, Sophie hopes to pursue a career in Event Planning or work at an agency.