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May 2010 Print Institute Recap

May 23-26, 2010 was filled with lessons, hands-on training and networking opportunities as thirty-four journalists gathered in St. Petersburg, Fla. for SPJ’s Reporters Institute.

During the three-day boot camp, we covered everything from FOI to ethics. Every hour was packed with valuable information to enhance the careers of the participants and strengthen the publications for which they work. Click here to see the schedule [PDF, 66 KB] from the program. Participants kept their newsroom up-to-date by using Twitter hashtag #SPJRI.

Participants in the program had three years, or less, of professional experience and worked for publications of all sizes and shapes, from all over the U.S.

Speakers included:
— Dr. Roy Peter Clark, vice president and senior scholar at The Poynter Institute
— Charles Davis, executive director, National Freedom of Information Coalition; associate professor, University of Missouri School of Journalism
— Lane DeGregory, staff writer, St. Petersburg Times
— Stacia Deshishku, director of coverage, CNN
— Pam Fine, Knight Chair, University of Kansas; former managing editor, The Indianapolis Star
— Kenneth Irby, director of diversity, The Poynter Institute
— Kevin Smith, president, Society of Professional Journalists
— Adrian Uribarri, staff writer, Chicago Current and member of SPJ's Ethics Committee



May 2010 Graduates

Click here to learn more about the graduates from the May 2010 program. [PDF, 3.4 MB]

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In their own words

The program received rave reviews from the participants. Here is just a sample of what they had to say:

“I wanted to thank you for organizing the Reporters Institute and bringing us together for four days of intensive journalism learning. It was an amazing experience and, by far, the highest honor of my career. The session speakers were dynamic, thoughtful and funny. They provided us with story ideas, new ways to approach situations and methods to implement what we have learned. I'm very thankful that I was one of the 34 selected out of the more than 100 applicants. I was excited to learn that the journalists came from publications of varying, frequency, size and coverage. Everyone was engaging and made an effort to talk to everyone else. The Reporters Institute provided a starting point to further network and engage, as you can tell by everyone connecting on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in the days that followed.”
        — Nathaniel Miller, online content developer, The Sacramento Bee

“This program was well worth the time and money. It was refreshing and exciting to hear so many good, positive tips and strategies. I learned concrete things I can take back to my job, which I think will make me a better journalist. I learned the importance of investing in my professional development.”
        — Priyanka Dayal, reporter, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

“Even with all the tips and training we received about writing, I have difficulty describing in words what an experience this has been. The Print Reporters Institute was intensive, exciting, exhilarating and inspiring, to say the least. The program helped revive my drive to go out in the streets and find meaningful stories. I found great value in the opportunity to engage with others my age; the other participants have challenged and inspired me to push myself in my own work. I am grateful to have had this amazing opportunity and happy that SPJ saw my potential as a young journalist to engage with this amazing group of people. Thank you, SPJ!”
        — Amaris Castillo, freelance writer

“The RI allowed me to develop my contacts among journalists, allowed me to develop my reporting skills and have an all-around great time as I developed my skills and got re-energized. Great ideas, enthusiasm for the profession, and a new network of journalists to share experiences with. This is great for confidence, skill building, networking and you really gain a sense of wanting to conquer the journalism world.”
        — Todd Tranausky, reporter, Argus Media, Inc.