COMM 2000 News Story | April 2018

In early March, students and professors of Pamplin College traveled to the Spring

National College Media Convention in New York City.

Dr. David Bulla, Dr. Debra van Tuyll and Professor Todd Bennett accompanied five

students to the conference, which was held at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. At the hotel,

the students and teachers attended many educational sessions on different media writing topics.

Madison Brown, a freshman pursuing a double major in English and communication, was one of

the five students that attended the convention.

“The conference was over literally everything you can think of. There were talks about

censorship, sports writing, studying abroad, budgeting a newspaper and so many other things,”

said Brown.

Attendees were given a list of topics and had the freedom to choose which sessions they

wanted to join. Brown expressed that her favorite session discussed censorship in the media.

Another well liked session involved different ways to report sensitive topics in writing.

“It was a really eye-opening experience to see how other students do things in

journalism,” Brown said. For example, a media team from a different school printed their

newspaper entirely in 3D and provided all of the students with 3D glasses in order to read it.

The College Media Association (CMA) holds two conventions per year. Volunteer

advisers from across the United States come together to help media students and professionals

improve on their writing skills through education, research and resources.

 CMA also strongly promotes the concept of community. They encourage attendees to

network and create as many contacts as they can during these conferences. According to the

CMA website, communication students and professors can stay informed on breaking news and

collegiate media across the nation, as well as seek advice on their own work.

“I met a lot of amazing professors and people in journalism that offered to help me in the

future if I ever need anything,” Brown said.

Augusta University attendees’ time was not all work and no play. While in the Big

Apple, they had free time away from the conference. According to Brown, some students tried

local restaurants while others chose to explore unique New York stores and kiosks.

“My favorite part of visiting New York was the food! I had some of the best meals of my

life there. Even the tap water tastes fresher.”

CMA will be holding their Fall National College Media Convention this October in

Louisville, KY. Brown concluded that it is an excellent opportunity for writers to improve their

skills and expand their network to a national level.

The College Media Association’s website, http:/m.collegemedia.org, provides useful

information on their organization, collegiate media and any upcoming events.