The virtual event presented by the School of Communications featured several of the top communications programs in the country.
As part of its mission to inspire and prepare high school students to embark on journalism careers, the Scripps Howard Emerging Journalists Program at Elon University hosted a virtual college fair on Feb. 17, featuring representatives from 14 communications programs from across the country.
The 90-minute event was open to students, parents, guardians, teachers and counselors. The fair provided a platform for high school students, their families and educators to gather information, ask questions and get a better sense of each undergraduate program’s offerings.
College fair representatives hailed from Abilene Christian University, Arizona State University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Elon University, San Diego State University, Syracuse University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Kentucky, University of Maryland, University of North Florida, University of Oregon, University of Southern California, University of West Georgia and Winthrop University.
The fair came at the conclusion of the program’s six-month interactive learning series that delved into foundational journalism skills, such as news gathering and writing, editing and design, and leadership. The six online sessions ran from September through January and included live lectures and discussions, as well as short assessments to measure the students’ learning outcomes.
High school juniors from diverse socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds who have successfully completed the learning series are invited to apply for a 10-day, experiential learning workshop at Elon. This on-campus experience is designed for 15-20 students and runs from June 20 to July 1, and the Emerging Journalists Program will pay for students’ travel, lodging, meals and instructional materials.
Students who attend the on-campus workshop will become part of a working newsroom, producing professional-level journalism and learning to track audience engagement metrics. In addition, they will take part in excursions to local media venues and college preparation programs. A tentative daily schedule is available here, but individual activities will not be finalized until late spring.
The Emerging Journalists Program is supported by a three-year financial commitment totaling $300,000 from the Scripps Howard Foundation. The partnership was officially announced in March 2021 and continues Scripps Howard and Elon’s collective commitment to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in the communications industries.
Kelly Furnas, lecturer in journalism, serves as curriculum coordinator of the Emerging Journalists Program, with Colin Donohue, instructor in journalism, acting as program director.
For more information about the Emerging Journalists Program, visit www.elon.edu/ejp.