On Monday, Jan. 19, the School of Communications will host the Associated Press Sports Editors’ regional meeting, which is open to interested Elon Communications students.
The APSE meeting will include a series of panel discussions and presentations addressing topics such as social media best practices and covering breaking news. The event’s afternoon schedule will be student focused with two Q&A sessions discussing professional development, career paths and real-world expectations.
Elon alumna Andi Petrini ’03, (Newport News, Va.) Daily Press sports editor and APSE Atlantic Region chair, will serve as moderator of a Q&A session titled “Editors to students,” with Elon students participating as panelists. The session will allow sports editors to ask students about their education, previous work experience and college newspaper experience, and what they’re looking for in a mentor and a career.
Students are also invited to participate in a “Building a better resume” presentation, which will conclude with short one-on-one meetings with sports editors in attendance.
The one-day conference will be held in Studio B in the McEwen School of Communications from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A full schedule of events is listed below.
Agenda
10 a.m.: Arrivals
10:30 a.m.: Panel discussion – Social media best tools/practices/ethics
The panel, moderated by Andi Petrini ’03 (Daily Press sports editor), features Troy Machir (The Sporting News’ senior social media editor), Mike Persinger (Charlotte Observer sports editor) and Will Brinson (CBSSports.com NFL writer/former social media editor). We’ll balance some discussion of ethics/who owns what/best practices with which social media tools work best, regardless of the size of your newsroom.
11:45 a.m.: Panel discussion – Owning a beat when D-I schools have their own beat writers
The panel, led by Mike Szvetitz (sports editor at the Richmond Times-Dispatch), will include region beat writers Mike Barber (Richmond Times-Dispatch/Virginia Tech) and Andrew Carter (Raleigh News & Observer/UNC). They’ll discuss how to best break news and stay ahead when the competition includes the schools we cover.
12:30 p.m.: Lunch
1:30 p.m.: Q&A – Editors to students
Moderated by Andi Petrini ’03 (Daily Press sports editor), the panel includes students from Elon, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech. The sports editors in attendance are encouraged to ask the students about how their education is preparing them, previous work experience and college newspaper experience, what they’re looking for in a career, a mentor, etc.
2:10 p.m.: Q&A – Students to editors
Moderated by Steve Hemphill (Roanoke Times sports editor), students in attendance will have the opportunity to quiz the professionals at the meeting about the “real world,” expectations, how to land a job or internship, etc.
2:45 p.m.: Building a better resume/one-on-ones
A short presentation on how to submit applications that will help you land a job. Two-minute one-on-ones will follow to give the students in attendance the chance to meet each sports editor in attendance individually. Students, have your resumes handy!
3:30 p.m.: Business meeting
Conducted by the region chair and vice chair. We must vote on a region vice chair. It’s a two-year term, followed by another two years as region chair. Duties can be found at this link: http://apsportseditors.org/regions-guidelines/.
4 p.m.: Wrap