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SPJ VISITS LOS ANGELES

group of nine students in the Society of Professional

Journalists took a trip to Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 14-26
for the annual SPJ convention titled Excellence in
Journalism. The students joined with other attendees to
listen to seminars by professionals in the world of print, radio
and television and make contacts with those already working
in those fields.
Dr. Jim Miller, director of the mass communication program
and assistant professor of journalism, was a sponsor for
SPJ and attended the convention. Three different national
organizations participated in the conference. The SPJ, the
Radio Television Digital News Association and the National
Association of Hispanic Journalists attended the convention
annually to network and to provide platforms to talk about the
latest developments in the field of journalism. The convention
provided training opportunities and resources to help journalists
enhance their classroom learning.
According to senior public relations major Jessica Boyd,
attendees divided into breakout sessions to engage over issues
in the world of journalism. Boyd and senior public relations
major Holly Bohnett both particularly enjoyed a session about
using social media such as smartphones and apps like Instagram
for mobile journalism.
Bohnett mentioned another session by Kai Ryssdel, radio
journalist and senior editor of Marketplace, a business program.
Though Bohnett was pursuing a different field, Ryssdel offered
advice that was applicable throughout journalism.
He was talking about the importance of making whatever
youre presenting understandable to the listeners, Bohnett

said. It was interesting to hear that perspective because

you can apply it to anything that you do in communications.
Miller said that a couple of famous faces appeared at the
convention. Eva Longoria was there to show her support for
the NAHJ. Also in attendance were Belva Davis, the first black
woman to be a news anchor in the West in the 1960s, and Chris
Wallace, a longtime news anchor for FOX News.
Miller added that his favorite session was the keynote
session on the Department of Justice and the National Security
Agency. Much of the conversation centered around Edward
Snowden, who had previously worked for the NSA and had
leaked private information.
Boyd said the session on The Homeland Tapes was one
of their favorites. The documentary was about 9/11 as seen
from the perspective of news stations outside New York
and Washington, such as those in Kansas and Nebraska.
The documentary featured how the news stations covered
the events throughout that day. The producers of the film
attended the conference and engaged with students, sharing
their thoughts about making a documentary of such emotional
and national significance.
The convention was an opportunity for students to network
with professionals already working in the field of journalism
as well as other students in the process of learning and job
hunting. While classroom interaction taught the students the
basic skills of reporting and writing, events such as the annual
convention taught them about the realities of the world and
the responsibilities and difficulties of journalism.
Kelsey Pierce

BISON

NBS

SPJ

Est. 1924: Row 1: H. Gonzalez, B. Niblock, L. Nuckols, V.

Vitalone, J. Boyd. Row 2: T. Carmical, J. White, H. Miller, K.
Soto, A. Ezell. Row 3: J. Williams, G. Schol, H. Halliburton,
M. Ryan, A. Hosticka, B. Aspey. Row 4: J. Dryden, S. Schock,
M. Birchmore, B. Petree.

National Broadcasting Society est. 1987: Row 1: B. Burcham,

T. Grey, P. Hale, A. Watson, K. Evans. Row 2: C. Morrison,
M. Chaffin, P. Meredith, B. Smith.

Society of Professional Journalists est. 2008: Row 1: B.

Cain, G. Nuckols. Row 2: V. Vitalone, J. Boyd, A. Ezell. Row
3: A. Hosticka, L. Nuckols, B. Aspey.

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11/22/13 4:09 PM