Students tour newsroom, gain career insight
Moving from one waist-high cubicle to another June 21, the 10 students of the 29th annual Urban Journalism Workshop at San Antonio College toured the San Antonio Express-News newsroom.
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Students attending the 29th Urban Journalism Workshop
at San Antonio College wait to tour the Express-News. |
“The program was established to increase diversity in the newspaper industry,” UJW Director Irene Abrego,
52, said, “at the same time, developing an appreciation for the First
Amendment, an appreciation for the workings of journalism and
journalism’s role in a democracy.”
She said the workshop can expand the students’ skills, which they can
take back to their high schools and pass along to their colleagues.
In addition to the original goal of enticing young people of color to
consider a career in news, the workshop facilitates a network of mentors
and mentees with high school students, college students and professionals.
“We are also trying to create news readers, if not newspaper readers,” Abrego said.
The students, from schools across San Antonio, travelled
from dorms at the University of the Incarnate Word to San Antonio
College each morning for writing, photography and news research classes
along with researching, reporting and writing a story.
After touring the Express-News, students broke into small groups to shadow staff reporters.
At the end of the shadow field trip, workshop participants rode the elevator to a conference room on the 8th floor for a pizza lunch with Express-News editor Mike Leary and managing editor Jamie Stockwell.
“It kind of put a face on the Express-News for me,” Lozano said. “How high school students can aspire to be in a big position at a newspaper like that.”
Leaving the Express-News and shadow experience, the students took along a sample of the job of a reporter, intern and editor in a professional journalistic setting.
“It gives them a window to a career they possibly wish to pursue,” staff writer Vincent Davis said. “It debunks any myths they might have about being a journalist, and it shows that there are no secrets about being in the field. All it takes is hard work and determination.”