Over 171students from 18 Historically Black Colleges and Universities gathered in BatonRouge. at the Holiday Inn South on Feb. 3-Feb. 5 for the 7th annual HBCUNewspaper Conference and Job Fair. Mentorship, career advice and recruitment tosome of the top print publications in the U.S. were the focus of thisprofessional event sponsored and hosted by the Black College CommunicationAssociation. Southern University and A&M College of Baton Rouge.
“Our goal(BCCA) in this conference is to link professionals to some of the most talentedand upcoming writers in the business,” said Derick Hackett, BCCA co-chair andSouthern University student media director.
Thethree-day conference featured sessions about editing, online publishing,photography, reporting, page design, ethics and more. Professionals were alsoon hand to discuss proper resume and application packet construction.
Severalkeynote speakers addressed the students with words of wisdom and encouragement.Sherrie Marshall, Spellman College alumna and editor of the Telegraph in Macon,Ga., was the opening speaker for the conference. She stressed that blackjournalists were indeed important to the journalism industry.
“Americannewspapers need you,” Marshall said. “Only you can tell these stories.”
LenaWilliams, Howard University alumna and senior writer at the New York Times, wasthe speaker for Friday’s luncheon. Williams encouraged the journalists inattendance to believe in their skills.
“We alreadydeal with the normal angst and anxiety that comes along with being born blackin America…and in a white, male-dominated profession,” Williams said.
“When hired,you go through, ‘Did I get hired because I’m black or was I good?’ Show thatyou are good.”
CaesarAndrews, a Grambling State University alum and editor of Gannett News Service,was the closing speaker Friday. He encouraged students to find direction intheir professional lives.
“Trends saythat your generation will have many different jobs in many different fields,”Andrews said. “Seek something you love or at least appreciate.”
On Fridayevening, the 15 HBCU newspapers that entered the HBCU Newspaper Competitionwaited collectively to see who would walk away with awards ranging from “BestNews Story” to “Best Newspaper”.
“Thecompetition is friendly, but at the same time, it makes you aware of the talentat other HBCUs,” said Nicole Dorn, news editor at the Southern Digest, thestudent newspaper of Southern University. “It makes you realize that they(other students) are not only your colleagues, but also your competition.”
Threenewspapers earned overall excellence honors in their respective categories.
The Famuanof Florida A&M University won in the twice-weekly or more category; theGramblinite of Grambling State University won in the weekly category; and theCampus Echo won in the non-weekly category.
On Saturday,the American Society of Newspapers Editors sponsored the job fair portion ofthe conference.
According toBetty Anne Williams, ASNE Job Fair coordinator, over 85 students and 21recruiters registered for the employment and internship opportunity mixer.
“This jobfair offers journalists at HBCUs a unique opportunity to make connections. Theatmosphere is welcoming,” Williams said. “The recruiters who come here areparticularly interested in African American journalists. They are greatresources for advice, even if you don’t end up with a job or internship.”
Among thecompanies offering internships or jobs were: The New York Times, The AssociatedPress, Knight Ridder, The Boston Globe, Gannett Corporation and Reuters.
“To havethese recruiters here, speaks volumes about us,” said Garrison Verren II, astaff member of the Famuan. “If you know the quality of the NY Times, BostonGlobe, then you know they only come to recruit in places they know they can gettalent.”
The NationalAssociation of Black Journalists president Herbert Lowe, was also in attendanceand found the conference to be beneficial to students.
“Thisconference is very important; it enables you (students) to gain access toinformation and network with others seeking to achieve the same kind of goals,”Lowe said. “You should not try to succeed in this business by yourself.”
