Professional development and networking for Oklahoma’s higher education communicators

The Oklahoma College Public Relations Association provides professional development and networking opportunities for new and seasoned communications professionals from public and private institutions of all sizes. From two-year colleges to four-year regional universities to R1 research institutions — and everything in between — we honor the creative imaginations of our member institutions in their marketing, communications and public relations efforts.

Our organization has evolved and grown with the communications field. Our members include public relations professionals, writers, designers, photographers, videographers, web developers, social media managers, development officers, event coordinators, managers and administrators.

We help communicators connect with professionals in similar roles at other institutions, share best practices for bringing the latest communications trends to higher education and recognize excellence by teams whose contributions are sometimes overlooked.

OCPRA holds three main programs each year: a two-day summer conference, a professional awards competition for all Oklahoma higher education communicators and a half-day fall workshop.

OCPRA Fall Workshop

Keynote: Gayle Maxwell, OKC Thunder

We're thrilled to announce that registration is now OPEN for the 2025 Oklahoma College Public Relations Association Fall Workshop, featuring Gayle Maxwell, Director of Corporate Communications for the Oklahoma City Thunder. She brings more than two decades of experience in strategic communication, public relations and brand storytelling to her role with one of the most dynamic organizations in professional sports!

WHEN: November 19, 2025
WHERE: Rose State College Student Union
WHAT: A day filled with networking, professional development and celebrating the Randy Talley Rising Star and Natalea Watkins Communicator of the Year award recipients.

Volunteer Opportunities

The OCPRA Fall Workshop and Annual Conference are organized and executed entirely by dedicated volunteers. If you're interested in joining our volunteer team, we’d love to hear from you!

2024 OCPRA Award Recipients

Awards are presented annually at the OCPRA Fall Workshop. Nominate a colleague for the 2025 Natalea Watkins Communicator of the Year or Randy Talley Rising Star awards.