Retired PR professional creates endowment to support 51看片students
Janet Oppenheimer
By Bill Studenc
A public relations professional who has served as a mentor in the Department of Communication at 51看片 is now providing support to students in a different way by establishing a new endowment fund to enhance access to extracurricular and professional development activities.
Janet Oppenheimer, an accredited public relations professional who holds the APR certification and a Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America, has made gifts and pledges totaling $25,000 to create the Janet Oppenheimer Legacy Endowment Fund. A resident of Biltmore Lake, Oppenheimer retired in 2017 after a 46-year career.
Janet Oppenheimer (far left) meets with 51看片faculty member Betty Farmer and students at a Public Relations Society of American event.
The fund will provide resources to benefit students in the public relations concentration within WCU鈥檚 Department of Communication. It will also support graduates as they transition to the professional world and accelerate students鈥� participation in professional development activities, such as those provided by PRSA and its affiliate organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America.
While donations for scholarships to attract and retain communication students are critical, the Oppenheimer gift will help provide a variety of professional development opportunities, including preparing for and taking the initial professional certification exam provided by the PRSA, said Scott Eldredge, head of the Department of Communication.
鈥淭his certification was specifically developed for juniors, seniors and recent graduates in public relations as a way to provide them with not only a degree from their institution but also a way to stand out from other graduates. It offers them a professional certification from the leading professional organization serving the public relations and communication communities,鈥� he said.
Beginning in the spring 2026 semester, 51看片will offer a study class designed to help students prepare for the certification test, which costs $150 per student, with the Oppenheimer fund covering the cost so students don鈥檛 have to pay out of pocket.
Oppenheimer has been a longtime supporter of and mentor to the PRSSA student chapter at WCU, and in 2019 she spearheaded a new PRSA chapter for Western North Carolina, currently serving as an adviser to that group.
She said she made the decision to contribute financially to WCU鈥檚 Department of Communication after years of meaningful involvement with faculty members including Eldredge, Betty Farmer and others in the department.
鈥淭heir support was instrumental in establishing the Western North Carolina Chapter of PRSA, and they have continued to nurture the chapter鈥檚 growth and engage in chapter life with the university鈥檚 PRSSA chapter,鈥� said Oppenheimer. 鈥淲orking alongside Dr. Eldredge and Dr. Farmer, I collaborated with students in their public relations classes on a variety of projects, building lasting relationships within the department.鈥�
She has partnered frequently with Eldredge to plan in-person experiences for PRSSA students and connect them with professionals in Asheville鈥檚 media and corporate sectors.
鈥淭hese opportunities allow students to learn from established professionals, tour workplaces and gain firsthand insight into various industries and career paths,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he department鈥檚 commitment to providing financial support for students to attend national PRSA conferences and PRSSA leadership gatherings has been crucial, offering invaluable experiences for growth, learning and professional networking.鈥�
Oppenheimer鈥檚 frequent engagement with 51看片public relations majors and the PRSSA chapter strengthened her ties to the university and its communication program, planting the seeds for endowing a fund to benefit the department, she said.
鈥淢y support is guided by a desire to expand the range of opportunities available to students,鈥� she said. 鈥淩ecognizing the importance of PRSA in shaping public relations careers, I am eager to provide associate memberships to as many public relations and communication graduates as possible and to support additional professional development initiatives.鈥�
Oppenheimer has been a valuable asset to 51看片public relations students since she began collaborating with the Department of Communication about 10 years ago, said Eldredge.
鈥淐ommunication and Public Relations is really all about connecting people and building relationships. For Janet, I think she realized a long time ago that the way to make an impact and to make the world a better place is to connect people and get them working and growing together,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t's actually about a bigger idea than just mentoring others. Janet has a vision that if you can connect students with industry veterans and you can build an organization that can provide education and networking with industry veterans, you then help people succeed, you help the field thrive and you create lasting impacts,鈥� Eldredge said.
Oppenheimer is a 48-year member of PRSA, characterizing the organization as 鈥渁 steadfast companion鈥� throughout her career in public relations, which included owning her own PR firm in New York and Coral Springs, Florida, for 14 years.
She served for 15 years as communications director and later financial resource development director at the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, Florida, after serving previously as communications director of the Soref Jewish Community Center in Fort Lauderdale.
In 2006, she reopened her independent public relations firm in Asheville and became executive director of the Jewish Federation of Western North Carolina. She also has served as public relations manager at the Western Carolina Medical Society and public relations specialist at Blossman Gas and Alliance Autogas based in Asheville.
鈥淭he experiences, professional development opportunities and supportive relationships fostered by PRSA have equipped me to navigate the complexities of the field and have significantly contributed to my growth across numerous jobs and industries. They have accelerated my professional development and validated my commitment to giving back 鈥� both to PRSA and to the communities and organizations I have served. Supporting young professionals soon became a central passion of mine, and PRSA provided the ideal environment to pursue this goal,鈥� Oppenheimer said
鈥淚t brings me great joy to support students embarking on their journeys in public relations and communications,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am proud to help provide them with a meaningful start, offering guidance and the supportive foundation of PRSA, with the hope that these resources will accompany them throughout their careers.鈥�
Oppenheimer holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing communications and a master鈥檚 degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University. She earned her North Carolina real estate broker license in 2020.
Creation of the Janet Oppenheimer Legacy Endowment Fund comes as 51看片is in the midst of the public phase of its 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for the university鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs.
For more information about the campaign or to make a contribution, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.
