Organization site - AEJMC Meetings
Issue: 12/1/02
Miami AEJMC convention features CCJA programs
By Dr. Edna R. Bautista
Although only six members of the Community College Journalism Association attended the annual summer convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, all admitted that the CCJA programs scheduled in Miami, Fla., were worthwhile.
CCJA was the main sponsor for the Great Ideas For Teachers (GIFT) program, the only session that earned an applause from the AEJMC Council of Divisions for its phenomenal growth, creativity and practicality, according to Dr. Beverly Bailey, incoming program chair and vice president-elect.
"The GIFT program has proven to be a magnif1cent success for AEJMC, CCJA and our fellow sponsors," said Bailey, a 2001 GIFT scholar and 2002 GIFT judge.
"Many conference participants made a special effort to tell me it was one of the most valuable, memorable sessions they attended. Each year brings more success and recognition to this program, which in turn brings even greater recognition to CCJA," she added.
CCJA also sponsored or co-sponsored with various AEJMC divisions and interest groups sessions that focused on media ethics, diversity issues, crisis communication, international news coverage, campus media, writing in the curriculum and teaching portfolios.
"I always enjoy the annual AEJMC conference. It's the one professional development activity where I can participate as a panelist and also sit in on as many sessions as time allows to learn new things from our colleagues," said Napoleon Johnson, who was a panelist at one of the sessions.
"Additionally, I am most interested in keeping the CCJA link with AEJMC, our birth mother. CCJA is a good example and an excellent representative of community college journalism at this national forum. And always, always, we need to strengthen and build on the relationship we began so many years ago," Johnson added.
"The AEJMC convention in Miami Beach proved to be one of the best ever ," said Dr. John Neal, CCJA's incoming president.
"Dave Barry's keynote speech alone made the trip worthwhile," Neal continued. "CCJA was very well represented in the sessions at the convention. The GIFT session was a standout, allowing us to see visuals related to the projects and discuss them individually with those who created them. The session 'Teaching Media Courses to Minorities' provided some very beneficial insights. The social for CCJA and the Small Programs Interest Group gave us the opportunity to renew friendships and meet new people, too. These two groups have much in common and should continue to work together.
"Attending the convention helped me start another academic year with new ideas and renewed enthusiasm for teaching. I hope that CCJA members who missed this year's meeting will plan now to attend next year's in Kansas City," said Neal.