BISON PLUGGED IN SPJ VISITS LOS ANGELES A 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 lnstagram 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 you're presenting understandable to the listeners," Bohnett NBS 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 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. 235
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