SPJ’s Spring Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Spring Conference in your area. Get available details — including dates, locations and contacts — for all 12 regions by clicking here.

March 23, 2012:
— Region 1: Stony Brook, N.Y.
— Region 3: Gainesville, Fla.
— Region 4: Lansing, Mich.
— Region 8: Fort Worth, Texas

March 30:
— Region 2: Elon, N.C.
— Region 6: Bloomington, Minn.
— Region 7: Ames, Iowa
— Region 10: Tacoma, Wash.
— Region 11: Universal City, Calif.
— Region 12: Lafayette, La.

April 13:
— Region 5: Indianapolis, Ind.
— Region 9: Denver, Colo.

Each year, SPJ invests $5,000 to fund local chapter programs. All fully chartered SPJ chapters in good standing with the national organization are eligible. Click here to read about the programs devised by this year's grant recipients, both in the professional as well as collegiate ranks.

SPJ's chapters are the backbone of the Society. If you're interested in establishing or expanding an SPJ chapter, these guidelines will help get you started on either the professional or campus levels.

Get in touch with the Sunshine chair or chairs in your state and find FOI Centers, quotable sources, resources and more.

Related Links:
— Project Sunshine
— SPJ Local Connection: Find SPJ leaders in your area
— FOI Committee Blog
— More FOI Resources

Understand the risks, learn to stay safe, get the credentials you need and more with this helpful collection of articles, guides and tips.