Fresno State partners with FCC for High School Journalism Day

~ By Kaitlin C. Meier, student writer for the College of Arts and Humanities

Fresno State will partner with Fresno City College for High School Journalism Day from 9-1 p.m. Friday, March 9, to present a variety of workshops concerning journalism. The event will be held at Fresno City in the Old Administration Building (the building numbered 2 on the parking map).

For the second year in a row, students, faculty and professionals in journalism will come together to explore topics such as multimedia, radio, broadcasting, news writing, internships, fake news, ethics, sports, social media, making money in journalism and photography.

The goal of this event is to forge a link between local high schools and the Fresno State and Fresno City College journalism programs to showcase the career paths in the field that encourage high school students to think about journalism as a possible career goal. This also provides the opportunity for aspiring young journalists to meet practicing professionals in the field who can serve as mentors and role models.

The event will begin with an opening session from 9-9:50 a.m. with a welcome and Rampage video followed by a panel discussion on careers in journalism. Lisa Boyles, communications specialist for the College of Arts and Humanities, will be one of the panelists.

The opening session will be followed by three workshop sessions:

Session 1: 10-10:50 a.m. will feature workshops on topics such as stereotyping in media, blogging and broadcast news, among others, including Fresno State Media, Communications and Journalism Professors Candace Egan on photography and Faith Sidlow on “Podcasting for Radio and Beyond.”

Session 2: 11-11:50 a.m. will cover topics such as radio news, sports news, multimedia/multi-platform reporting and includes second workshops by Egan and Sidlow, as well as MCJ Professors Betsy Hays and Dr. Nancy Van Leuven speaking on “Public Relations – Is this the path for you?” and Jim Boren, a Fresno State MCJ lecturer and retired executive editor of the Fresno Bee, with Dr. Wes Wise on “Fake News, a Panel Presentation.” Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado, editor-in-chief of the Collegian, will also speak on “Becoming a College Journalist.”

Session 3: 12-12:50 p.m. will again include workshops by Hays and Sidlow, along with MCJ’s Dr. Kelley McCoy on media stereotyping. Other topics include writing for the newspaper, podcasting, telling a news story with a smartphone and various others.

Most workshop participants are high school students ages 14-18. Each workshop is 50 minutes long and will cover various aspects of journalism presented by those currently or previously working in the field.

Last year, over 200 high school students with an interest in journalism, multimedia, advertising, print and broadcast attended and this year, more than 400 students from the Central Valley have registered to attend.

The conference is open to all high school students in the Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings counties and is free for all participants.

INFO: Dympna Ugwu-Oju, Fresno City College journalism instructor and advisory board member, Dympna.ugwu-oju@fresnocitycollege.edu or 559.442.4600, Ext. 8190.