SRPI, Jobs and Sesso: How Mass Communications

Intersects with Practical Learning

Presented by Wanda Lloyd

Chair & Associate Professor Department of Journalism and Mass Communications (JMC)

Savannah State University lloydw@savannahstate.edu

www.wandalloyd.com Twitter and Instagram @MGMeditor

National Association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities Title III Administrators

San Antonio, TX – June 25, 2015

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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,

or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

These are the 45 words of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This amendment, which gives Americans the rights to five freedoms, is the guiding principle for which our work in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications exists, for among these freedoms -- Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech -- are two of the freedoms that we teach our students that they have the responsibility to uphold as journalists, communicators and storytellers. I am extremely proud to share with this audience of Title III administrators three of several programs funded through these federal funds.

But first, I’d like to thank Dedra Andrews, the Title III director at Savannah State University, and LaTasha Swain-Gilliard, program specialist, for suggesting that I submit the proposal to that led me to present to you today. It is through their almost daily guidance and sometimes hand-holding that this academic novice manages to be a somewhat functional and effective activity director for our project: “Mass Communication: Student Media Center & Learning Laboratory”

Today’s topic, SRPI, Jobs and Sesso: How Mass Communications Intersects with Practical Learning,” has as its root the goal to expose our students to media professionals and professional learning opportunities., while telling the stories as is our right and responsibility as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

First, to clarify my own perspective, I mentioned that I am an academic novice. In fact, I spent several decades as a newspaper editor at seven daily newspapers, retiring in 2013 from the Gannett Company where my last assignment was as executive editor of the Montgomery Advertiser for almost nine years. My other newspaper assignments were -- in order -- the Providence Evening Bulletin, The Miami Herald, the Atlanta Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today and The Greenville News.

I arrived at Savannah State a few months after leaving the newsroom in Montgomery, Alabama’s capital city. We are at the university to teach, to lead, to inspire, to expose our students to a media industry that is changing – literally – moving from a traditional model to one that is filled with change – changing deliveries, new digital platforms, increased entrepreneurial opportunities and a global focus due to the immediacy of social media, worldwide breaking news and audience engagement.

The Department of Journalism and Mass Communications’ mission is to develop productive students in a global society, prepared for careers in mass communications, and to increase cultural diversity in professional media.

The department offers courses leading to the baccalaureate degree with a concentration in one of three areas: Print and Online Journalism; Public Relations and Advertising, and Radio, Television and Film.

The department offers courses in Multimedia publishing, photojournalism, radio

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and television production, public relations, writing for digital media, African Americans in the media, women in the media, copy editing, media ethics and the law and many, many more.

Students have opportunities before graduation to develop professional skills, with access to a television production studio and control room; two radio stations, Tiger's Roar, -- a monthly award-wining newspaper – and tigersroar.com, the students’ online news site. Our students are engaged in several organizations, including the Mass Comm Students Association and student chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of America and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Our students are required to complete a semester-long professional internship where they spend a minimum of 20 hours per week working alongside professionals who give them guidance and the opportunity to write, edit, shoot video and photos, build campaigns and branding projects and journalistically cover events and interview newsmakers.

Now, before we get to specifics of how Title III funding has helped the three projects I want you to know about today, let’s take a moment to view a video, which was prepared to give you a window on the impact of Sesso, the magazine, an annual job fair with media industry professionals and the university’s flagship JMC program -- the Southern Regional Press Institute. Link to video: https://youtu.be/igXGe3u-VYI