<![CDATA[This study examines the Public Relations (PR) communication strategies implemented by the Nusantara Student Dormitory (Asrama Mahasiswa Nusantara - AMN) Surabaya in promoting national affirmation scholarship programs to incoming university freshmen originating from Indonesia’s frontier, outermost, and least developed regions (3T -Tertinggal, Terdepan, Terluar). Utilizing James E. Grunig Excellence Theory as an analytical framework, this research explores how a newly established institutional PR department navigates multi-layered administrative boundaries and severe regional socioeconomic disparities to foster inclusivity. A descriptive qualitative methodology was employed, harvesting primary data through semi-structured in-depth interviews with the AMN PR administrator,senior management, and scholarship recipients from 3T territories including Papua, Maluku, and Nusa Tenggara, cross-validated by continuous digital content analyses. The findings reveal that AMN Surabaya successfully operationalizes a "Distributed Public Relations Model" to counter critical staffing shortages, effectively transforming every operational employee and dormitory mentor into an active institutional brand ambassador. Furthermore, the PR unit successfully bridged deep-seated psychological barriers among remote student populations such as low self- efficacy and digital anxiety by heavily integrating interactive two-way symmetrical communication ecosystems across digital mediums, complemented by localized cultural adaptations and peer-led, face-to-face field campaigns. However, structural challenges persist, particularly regarding an asymmetric distribution of information that leans heavily toward certain geographical regions and structural friction regarding intra-institutional role definitions. This research provides significant empirical and theoretical enrichment to the understudied domain of educational public relations tasked with executing high-stakes affirmative social campaigns.]]>
