On the Record: SAC Journalism Association Celebrates Silver Anniversary

在90年代早期, the 圣安东尼奥学院 Journalism program set out to accomplish what had never been done: they wanted to bring a student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) to a community college.

SPJ is the oldest professional journalism organization in the country 和 most prestigious. Members include reporters and photographers for newspapers, magazines, radio 和 internet. 还有专业章节, the association also includes college chapters, which must meet stringent guidelines and practices.

The idea had been around for many years at SAC, but the mission to establish a student chapter gained momentum when faculty and students received strong support from the 圣安东尼奥之光 和 圣安东尼奥快报， the two major daily newspapers in the city at the time.

The National SPJ association gave SAC probationary status and two years later, in 1993, granted the journalism program an official student chapter.

“我们马上就开始了,崔茜卡·布克霍恩回忆道, senior communications lab technician and part-time photography adviser. Buchhorn, who was a SAC student 和 first official president of the SPJ chapter, said the students celebrated the announcement by planning a series of events during National 新闻paper Week.

25年后, the SAC SPJ chapter still plays an integral role for students going into journalism. 扎伽利。泰勒莱特, SPJ分会现任主席, said being part of the national association means students must uphold high journalism standards - no different than any working journalist.

除了, the chapter also holds community forums to inform the public on the ethical practices in journalism. "I think we are trying to be more transparent now with what are ethics are so we can be trusted,他说.

玛丽安奥多姆, SAC journalism-photography coordinator and a former adviser for the SPJ chapter, said there are other student benefits as well, including opportunities to network with professionals in the field. The organization also offers scholarships to students who transfer to journalism programs at other colleges.

"SPJ helps groom the next generation of journalists," she said.

庆祝他们的银婚纪念日, the SAC chapter hosted a conference for SPJ Region 8, 包括德克萨斯州和俄克拉荷马州.

会议, 由SAC学生组织, covered issues at the forefront of the industry, including the role of social media in covering traumatic events and copyright law.

But it also included sessions that showed where the future of journalism is headed - some of the speakers talked about the importance of being an entrepreneur and creating career opportunities were none exist.

After 25 years, the SAC SPJ chapter is still vibrant and essential to future journalists.

囊,

妮可·米. Bautista is vice president of the SAC SPJ chapter and multimedia editor of the 囊管理员 . She has created a video to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the the student SPJ chapter. 你可以登录youtube观看 http://youtu.be/pC7NoVGxIPk 

照片由SAC游侠提供.