Stockton University rising senior Laura Leonel was selected as one of 12 recipients nationwide for the Public Relations Society of America Foundation fellowship, according to a June 2 announcement. Leonel, a Communication Studies major from Long Branch, was chosen as part of the Foster the Future fellowship program. This initiative is a collaboration between Mission North, communications agency partners, and the PRSA Foundation aimed at mobilizing the public relations and communications industry for transformative change.
Leonel will spend her summer in a paid internship with LaunchSquad, a public relations and marketing agency based in San Francisco that has team members across the country. “When I first applied to this fellowship, I honestly thought, ‘There’s no way they’ll choose me,’” Leonel said. “As a first-generation student from a smaller university, opportunities like this often feel out of reach. This experience reminded me that potential isn’t defined by where you come from, and I’m incredibly grateful that PRSA and LaunchSquad recognized mine.”
At Stockton University, Leonel has held leadership roles since her first year through First Ospreys—a club for first-generation students—and currently serves with both PRSSA (the student branch of PRSA) and the Student Alumni Association. She also founded South Jersey’s first chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America.
Her professional experience includes attending conferences in Boston, New York, Miami, New Orleans, and London. She contributes as a writer for The Argo student newspaper and produces social media content as part of Stockton’s Osprey Social Team.
Fellowship recipients will receive professional development training from Muck Rack, Strong Professional, and Brian Simon Associates. The PRSA Foundation will award $102,000 in scholarships and stipends among all fellows this year. “Congratulations to this year’s Foster the Future fellows,” said Natan Edelsburg, president of the PRSA Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “Programs like this are critical to opening doors and creating real pathways into the industry.”
The Public Relations Society of America is described as serving more than 400 professional and student chapters domestically and abroad through its network.
