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Resources for conference planners

When: April 10, 2021
Cost: Free
Registration: Link

SPJ’s Regional Conferences are virtual this year! All regions are featuring two one-hour sessions for our entire membership, coordinated by SPJ. The Regional Coordinators and conference coordinators will also host their region’s Mark of Excellence Award ceremonies with their own unique Zoom links.

Programming schedule

1-2 p.m. ET

Welcome & Super Session: “How We Got the Story”

“How We Got the Story” is a two-part session. First, learn about collaborating with a professional partner. Moderated by Kathy Best (University of Maryland), this session features Bob Little at NPR and Sandy Banisky and Sean Mussenden from the University of Maryland. They will talk about the Code Red Project on the impact of climate change on poor, urban neighborhoods.

The session continues with panelists discussing how collaboration worked on an investigative project involving several universities. Their investigations focus on the criminalization of homelessness. This segment features the work of Cheryl Phillips (Stanford University), Rob Wells (University of Arkansas) and Deborah Nelson (University of Maryland).

2-3 p.m. ET

Prioritize Yourself: Invest in Your Own Mental Health

Did you breathe a sigh of relief when you turned your calendar to 2021? Never before has fear for our safety and attacks on our professional credibility been this intense. This session will provide you with warning signs that you're way beyond being stressed and overworked. Recognize the red flags and be prepared to take care of yourself. Find relief from some specific dos and don'ts and work to invest in your own mental health with Dr. Tammy McCoy-Arballo, a licensed Clinical Forensic psychologist. She is a former journalist who works with journalists and first responders. Jerry McCormick, SPJ At-Large Board Member, will moderate.

3:30 p.m. ET

Regional Mark of Excellence Awards Presentations

Annually, the Society of Professional Journalists presents the Mark of Excellence Awards, honoring the best in student journalism. The awards offer categories for print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism.

Entries are first judged on the regional level. First-place regional winners advance to the national competition.

Note: If you've registered for the conference but have not receive a Zoom invite by April 8 for your region's MOE ceremony, please contact your regional coordinator for an invite.