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Twenty-three members of Pepperdine’s Student Publications traveled to Dallas last Wednesday to participate in the 82nd annual National Student Media Convention.
The convention was sponsored by the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Advisers and Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc.
More than 2,600 representatives from colleges and universities across the United States and Canada met in Dallas to attend lectures and seminars on media-related topics. Keynote speakers included Barbara Bradley Hagerty, religion correspondent for National Public Radio, and Paula LaRocque, author of “Championship Writing: 50 Ways to Improve Your Writing.”
Hagerty advised future journalists to be team players and “stay soft inside.” LaRocque stressed the importance of simplifying writing in order to make it clearer and easier for the reader to understand.
In addition to seminars, participating schools competed for the Pacemaker award, considered the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism, and the Best of Show Awards. The Graphic was a finalist for a Pacemaker but did not win.
“To be included at a finalist for college journalism’s highest award, right alongside the top journalism programs in the nation is quite an honor,” said Graphic advisor and Journalism professor Dr. Michael Jordan. “Our Pepperdine students deserve a lot of credit.”
Although Pepperdine did not win any awards, students still felt the conference was a valuable experience.
“The conference was a great opportunity for students to showcase their work and see what other schools are doing,” Smith said. “It’s important for journalists, even those still in college, to begin networking and building a support system in the field- the conference is one of the best ways to do that.”
One aspect of the conference that was especially important to Pepperdine students was the attention paid to Christians in journalism and the difficulties student journalists at Christian schools sometimes face.
“Conference organizers showed a strong sense of support for Christians in the field of journalism,” Smith said. “Numerous sessions discussed the unique role of journalism at Christian institutions and Christians in the journalism field.”
Submitted November 13, 2003
MALIBU, CA
