Strategic communication student chosen for prestigious scholarship

Kori McIntosh-Brown, a senior honors student majoring in strategic communication at Pittsburg State, has been chosen as one of three scholars for the Inez Y. Kaiser Memorial Fund and has been awarded $2,500. The scholarship was created in honor of a groundbreaking Black graduate.

Kaiser, born in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1918, graduated from Pittsburg State with a degree in education in 1941, and after teaching in the public school system for 20 years, became an entrepreneur.  

 Inez Kaiser photo

In 1963, she was the first Black woman to start a national public relations firm in downtown Kansas City — unheard of at the time. She also was the first Black woman to join the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and soon had a roster of clients the likes of J.E. Dunn Construction, Hallmark, Burger King, and Sears. 

The scholarship in her name, given by her hometown chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in celebration of its 60th anniversary, rewards two to three students from across the region who demonstrate a commitment to leadership, public relations excellence, and community volunteerism. 

A senior from Olathe, Kansas, McIntosh-Brown is vice president of the Lamda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society at PSU and has received several other scholastic honors. She has been involved in supplier diversity programs and strategic communications for the Kansas Small Business Development Center that operates out of Block22 in Downtown Pittsburg and has been a volunteer for Juneteenth activities. 

“Being a student at Pittsburg State University, where Inez Y. Kaiser also attended school, makes this scholarship very special to me,” said McIntosh-Brown. “Although I never met her, I was inspired by her story and her impact on the PR industry.” 

“Soon, I'll be heading into the industry, and I am thankful that this opportunity will be the beginning of my story, that I hope will inspire and impact others too,” she said. “I look forward to the success that will come next with the help of this generous financial gift and thank you all for the support.”


Learn more:

Strategic Communication Program

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