Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) Association of Black Journalists (ABJ) brought back its Multimedia Short Course. This event took place on FAMU’s campus, from March 16-18 in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC). This three-day intensive course provided a collaborative environment for students and professionals in the journalism concentration. A focus that FAMU-ABJ wanted to address was an emphasis on Broadcast Journalism and the growing in-cooperation of technology. Because technology is a growing factor in the industry, FAMU’s Short Course showed students how to be innovative with their resources.
Co-Organizer, FAMU alumna, and SJGC Assistant Professor Kalisha Whitman said “Everyone can be a reporter, but we want to know who can be a journalist with their mobile devices.”
This event was open to students from across the nation through the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). This event’s goal is to give students the ability to network and learn from professionals in the industry.
A total of 18 students were selected by FAMU SJGC alumni, Kenneth Jones, Shonda Knight, and Kalisha Whitman, to participate in the NABJ Multimedia Short Course. Of the 18 students, 8 of the students span from different University. Such as University of North Texas, Xavier University of Louisiana, Miles College, University of Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State University and Hinds Community College.
Xavier University of Louisiana student Kendall Lawson, said “I want to be a sponge to receive all the different perspectives of what it takes to be a media guru. Also, I love seeing the pride and hospitality that FAMU has shown me.”
Some of the professionals that came to mentor the students of the course ranged from FAMU Alumni to Broadcast Journalism professionals with more than 10 years of experience.
“If you can write and speak the sky’s the limit, also there is a high demand for black males in the Journalism industry,” said Alcorn Alum and District Chair of Hinds Community College Timothy Crisler. Crisler has been in Public Relations and Marketing for over 20 years, and was excited to bring a student that is the first student to come to FAMU from Hinds Community College.
An emphasis that Crisler wants students to remember is to never forget “the basics” of journalism.
NABJ holds several “short course” or “crash course” events at other corresponding universities. The purpose of this type of event is to give students the opportunity to develop and hone their skills, and return to their university with the necessary feedback and insight for their futures in the field.
“We want the students to not just be journalist of now, but journalist that last through the ages,” said Whitman.