2009 SPJ Announcements!

Fellow Students and Journalists:

Greetings and warmest holiday wishes to you and your family this season! I hope Winter Intercession has provided each of you an opportunity to relax and take a breather from the daily stresses and fatigues of college life at OU. However, winter quarter is creeping ever closer and soon enough we will be returning to Athens and the daily grind.

The New Year is in just a couple of days and we at OU SPJ have made our resolution already – to be more proactive in working for YOU. In 2009, we celebrate 100 years of improving and protecting journalism and the Ohio University chapter has a full slate of helpful workshops and programs to further YOUR education and experience and to connect YOU to hundreds of working professionals across the country.

Fall quarter we offered you a variety of unique programming geared toward “Hot Topics” from the election to the economic meltdown. But that was just the beginning… Here’s a quick look at what OU SPJ has up its sleeve for you this January:

Meetings

Our first meeting will occur on Tuesday, January 6 and will be a detailed introduction to the programs I outline below. We will also introduce you to SPJ’s Centennial plans on a nationwide scale. From here we will meet as committees to plan the work the needs to be completed throughout the quarter – this is YOUR chance to make a difference and leave a legacy – make SPJ something more meaningful then a weekly meeting.
Then on Tuesday, January 13 we will have pizza and board games as a chance to get to know each other better and build a community here at Scripps. We hope you’ll join us for free food and fun and bring your friends!
This quarter we are focusing on the values upheld by national SPJ – diversity, First Amendment, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Come to SPJ and know YOUR rights as a journalist across the country.

inc. – internships. news. commentary.

By far the most exciting of our new projects is the new OU SPJ publication, “inc.”
“inc.” includes insightful stories and helpful hints from alumni and guest speakers in the industry. Also inside you’ll find a continuously updating list of available internships.
“inc.” will be the definitive resource for Scripps students interested in internship opportunities, free-press activism and in what’s going on in the media industry. Editions can be picked up in Scripps Hall and at weekly SPJ meetings.
“inc.” will initially be published bi-weekly, with an expanded schedule and online version to be available in future months.
“inc.” drops Tuesday, January 13.

Book Drive

Reading is one of the most crucial aspects of good journalism – it is the stepping stone to the English language and, ultimately, the world of journalism. This is the basis for our 1st ever book drive in Athens and on campus. Books can be donated in bins located not only in select buildings on campus, but also at businesses in town.
This community effort will bring the joy of reading to children in struggling Appalachian schools which have little or no funding to provide adequate libraries of books to be read for pleasure.
The initiative will last from January 23 to February 30.

High School Essay Contest

As part of a larger national endeavor, OU SPJ is joining in the 2009 SPJ High School Essay Contest as judges for our region. This year’s theme is “Why Free News Media Are Important” and essays are to be 300-500 words.
Using the WOUB service area as a map, we will be contacting and recruiting for essays from high schools in 19 counties. As an organization, we’ll be reading and judging the submitted essays in March.
Our winner will compete against others for a $1000 scholarship.


This is just the tip of the iceberg for our schedule for Winter Quarter – we at OU SPJ hope that you share in our excitement about the programs scheduled for these next three months.

We’ll see you and your friends for our first meeting on Tuesday, January 6 at 5 p.m. in Scripps 111! Don’t forget to read our blog at http://ohiouspj.blogspot.com to keep in touch and learn more about the programs mentioned above.

Hope you had a safe and happy holiday season and we will see you in 2009!


Warmly,

Evan Millward
President
SPJ Ohio University chapter