The Voice takes Washington

The Voice team recently attended the four-day National College Media Convention at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, where college journalists and advisers from across the U.S. gathered to network with industry professionals, attend panel sessions, receive critiques, and learn about the latest developments and trends in journalism.

The event offered more than 275 learning sessions covering all aspects of journalism, from print and digital publishing, layout and design, news gathering, current practices and ethics, and career advice.

Awards were also presented to finalists at the conference, as well as recognition of honorable mentions.

Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Associate organized the event.

Here are some takeaways offered by the Voice staff.

Lilly Kujawski
Editor

The ACP/CMA conference revealed to me how essential the watchdog role of a journalist is in holding public officials accountable. While there may be barriers at times in accessing the truth and informing the public, legal protections like the Freedom of Information Act and First Amendment free press laws are there to aid journalists in their efforts to find the truth and tell it. The first step is understanding and knowing how to use these laws; sessions I attended equipped me with journalism-specific legal resources and knowledge.

Nicholas Ketchum
Deputy Editor

Of the many themes I sensed at the conference, one stands out: there is an increasing demand for “vertical” journalism. Vertical journalism serves a specific audience, industry or topic. In a presentation titled “How to Survive the Changing News Business,” Marisa Porto, publisher and editor-in-chief at the Daily Press Media Group, said vertical journalism is a growing phenomenon.  Porto said that there is fresh need for journalists who “understand numbers,” data visualizations and especially financial statements.

Catherine Engstrom-Hadley
Staff Writer

During this trip, I attended workshops about how to promote and educate fellow students about our First Amendment rights. I found out that 29% of Americans can’t name any of their first amendment rights, according to the Knight Foundation. The University of Iowa has taken large steps to increase awareness on campus about those rights by hosting a yearly week to promote them, with panels, games and picnics. I would love to see WCC host a similar week for our students in the future. Knowing our rights is important for all Americans.

Claire Convis
Staff Writer

One session, “The Art of Visual Storytelling,” showed ways storytellers can adapt to the digital age by hooking the audience from the start. A photo can be from a $7k camera or from an iPhone and still have the same storytelling impact. Another session, “Generating Creative Story Ideas,” encouraged journalists to never miss an opportunity to talk to people. Speak to your hotel housekeeper for one minute and you might learn the minimum wage has gone up, or talk to a flight attendant and you could hear about a crisis in another country.

Kristin Thomas
Graphic Designer

I learned the importance of gaining experiences to set student journalists apart when they apply for future jobs. Writers, photographers and designers entering the workforce will face a narrowing pool of options in today’s climate, but learning new skills can grant greater success. One opportunity presented was drone photography. Photojournalists can reach new vantage points and learn new technical skills by training in the use of drones. The presentation outlined laws for drone use to empower students how to use them safely.

Vardan Sargsyan
Graphic Designer

There’s something really special about being in the most powerful city in the U.S, let alone the world. The first time I saw the capitol, it was blazing in front of a picture-perfect blue sky. I was memorized for a good 15 minutes. I’m incredibly grateful to have spent four days in this city with my colleagues whom I got to know at a much deeper level as a result. As we approach the homestretch of our time on the paper, I am amped, reenergized and reinspired to produce nothing short of an excellent paper.

Weevern Gong
Digital Editor

I realized how much collaboration is involved in the digitized age of reporting. Being on top of current technology trends and using a multimedia approach is vital to sharing your message effectively. An example of this is “12 Seconds of Gunfire,” a Pulitzer finalist article about a school shooting, which was turned into a 7-minute virtual reality film. Seeing how an art editor, web technologist and film director, to name a few professions involved, came together to create it was inspiring.

Lily Merritt
Photo Editor

I learned about the importance of photojournalism and the impact it has on society has a whole. The sacrifice and courage photojournalists need to document important moments or people stood out to me. Seeing the Pulitzer Prize photography series in the Newseum was breathtaking. Seeing how photographers captured painful and vulnerable moments opened my eyes to the impact a photo can have. In addition, seeing how these photographers put themselves at emotional or even physical risks make me respect the field even more.

AWARDS

2018-19 ACADEMIC YEAR:

First Place: Best Editorial
“Headlines we’d like to see in 2019”
Lilly Kujawski and Nicholas Ketchum

Honorable Mention: Reporter of the Year
Lilly Kujawski

THIS ACADEMIC YEAR:

Seventh Place: Best of Show
Print Newspaper, Voice team

10th Place: Best of Show
Website, Voice team

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