805 21st Street, NW
Suite 401
Washington, DC 20052
800-367-4776
202-994-6000
202-994-6006 fax gspminfo@gwu.edu
Ethics and Passion for PR
Drive Alumnus Michael Cherenson
J. Colette Beyer
In an age marked by corporate corruption, scandal, and greed, it is refreshing to find a professional with the ethical commitment of alumnus Michael Cherenson, APR. Driven by a commitment to ethics and a desire to raise his profession's profile, Cherenson refutes the notion that the business of public relations is just about "spin."
"I generally feel like I'm an angel standing on a corporation's shoulders telling people how to build relationships and do the right thing," said Cherenson.
A 1995 graduate of GW's Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), Cherenson was voted chair-elect for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) during its 2007 International Conference in Philadelphia. As the world's largest organization for public relations professionals, PRSA's membership rolls include more than 28,000 professional and student members in over 100 chapters nationwide.
An 18-year public relations industry veteran and executive vice president of public relations for New Jersey-based Success Communications Group, Cherenson is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board and the PRSA.
"I believe that Mr. Cherenson's exceptional professional experience makes him an outstanding candidate," said Spiro Kiousis, Ph.D., APR, chair of the University of Florida's Department of Public Relations, where Cherenson serves on the advisory board. "His commitment to the profession, as evidence by his extensive leadership experience in PRSA, makes him an excellent choice. Mr. Cherenson's commitment to public relations education provides him with a unique combination of qualities that make him an ideal choice for this appointment."
For Cherenson, public relations is more than just a profession, it's a passion. His father, founder of The Cherenson Group, a boutique public relations firm, exposed him to the industry from a young age.
"I've been around [the public relations] profession my entire life. It not only put braces on my teeth and paid the bills and put me through college, but it has also shaped who I am and how I think," Cherenson said.
Despite growing up in the public relations business, Cherenson pursued an education in politics at Ithaca College and GW's Graduate School of Political Management, where he received a graduate certificate in Political Management. However, as a self-proclaimed bridge builder, he gravitated toward the business world's cooperative nature. "I'm a communicator, I enjoy bringing people together," said Cherenson. "Public relations professionals instinctively share and use information as a tool to bring people together, so it's a different prospective [from politics]."
"I think the knowledge I learned [at The Graduate School of Political Management] really helped me to become a more strategic thinker and the political acumen has helped me as well...I use that knowledge every day and I am thankful for it," said Cherenson.
In January 2008, Cherenson will begin his tenure as chair-elect before assuming the roles of chair and immediate past chair in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Driven by a commitment to ethics and a desire to help people unite, Cherenson will spearhead initiatives to create a greater awareness of his profession and the ethical challenges it faces.
When asked what it takes to succeed professionally, Cherenson quoted his father, "[he] told me you need a few key body parts: a good mind, a good behind to sit down and do the work you need to do, a caring heart and soul, and strong elbows to force your way through this world."
