The office of Student Publications attended the fall Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) /College Media Advisors (CMA) Convention, a meeting of college journalists from all over the country. The convention took place from Oct. 25-31.
While there, representatives from college newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, radio, TV and Web sites had there work critiqued by professors, writers and graphic designers. The budding journalists also had the opportunity to compare their publication to other schools’.
The convention was held in Louisville, Kentucky within the Galt House Hotel. The hotel’s numerous meeting rooms were used as classrooms where students and advisors alike could participate in sessions meant to educate them in how to make a better product.
The classes that were offered covered a range of topics. Some focused on the obvious aspects of journalism: writing, language, editing and design. However, there was the not-so obvious as well. For example, Lola Burnham of eastern Illinois University, offered a class discussing journalism in the world of Harry Potter. Burnham plans to write her doctoral dissertation on the subject.
Michael Koretzky of Florida Atlantic University was a popular speaker during the convention. His over the top personae and use of vernacular combined with his expertise made for entertaining as well as informative sessions.
A total of 420 schools were in attendance, six of them from Louisiana. Including Southeastern, Louisiana State University, Nicholls State, Southern, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Loyola were also in attendance.
Executive Director of College Media Advisors (CMA) Ron Spielberger, helped oversee the event.
“It went very well,” said Spielberger. “We had two thousand students and 400 advisors registered. Everybody loved the sessions, we had around 400 sessions, and every body loved the hotel. This is the first time we’ve done the convention at the Galt House since 1984 I think.”
Southeastern was represented by Lion’s Roar newspaper staff members Don Aime, editor-in-chief; Nicholas BeJeaux, opinions editor, and Advisor and Student Publications Director Lee E. Lind. Both The Lion’s Roar newspaper and Le Souvenir yearbook we submitted for evaluation and critiques.
“The criticism was very important in regards to where we stand on the national level,” said Aime. “We received great feed back that will benefit the growth and the overall look and content for the future of The Lion’s Roar newspaper.”