Professional journalists mentor aspiring Aggie writers

When the College of Liberal Arts moved journalism from a department-centered program to an interdisciplinary program, it looked to former journalism students to help prepare new generations of Aggie writers for careers in journalism.

The new version of journalism at Texas A&M University is a minor that provides students from many different majors the chance to hone writing skills and gain knowledge that can be used in their own respective fields. The interdisciplinary minor includes 18 hours of coursework, 15 of which are in journalism and three hours to be taken from a number of courses offered through departments in the College of Liberal Arts and College of Architecture.

New generation of students given hands-on guidance from former students

As part of the minor in journalism, a course titled “Journalism as a Profession” (which coincides with the journalist-in-residence program) was added to the minor. The course is the final in the curriculum, designed as a capstone experience for students. 

Professional writers are invited to mentor students enrolled in the “Journalism as a Profession” course, working to produce three publication-quality projects. While the professionals are on campus, many also present guest lectures about media in classes throughout the university and spend time coaching student writers and editors at the Battalion.

“Each journalist-in-residence spends about a week on campus, but after they are gone, the professionals usually continue to informally advise students about careers in the media,” said Randall Sumpter, director of journalism studies.  “They also help students find media internships.”

In recent years, the program has brought back many respectable journalists, a good number of which started their journalism careers in Aggieland.   

Aggies teaching Aggies

Last spring the program welcomed back three former students, one of which was Kathleen McElroy ’81, editor at The New York Times.

“Participating in the program rejuvenated my love of journalism and rekindled my enthusiasm for the business,” McElroy said. “Nothing beats spending quality time with smart young journalists who want to take on the world.”

Looking back on the program, former students now realize the number of invaluable lessons that are learned from current professionals in the field.

“It was inspiring to meet with former students who didn’t settle for mediocre careers that barely related to journalism,” said Sara McDonald, government reporter for the Galveston County Daily News and student in the first journalist-in-residence course offered in 2005. “They had an infectious passion for journalism that made me and other students realize that A&M’s department had produced some of the state’s best journalists.”

This spring, the journalism program welcomed a new group of today’s journalism professionals ready to nurture and encourage tomorrow’s journalists.

Spring 2008 greets new professionals

Richard Oliver ’81 is a sports columnist/senior writer for the San Antonio Express-News. He has held numerous positions in both print and broadcast media. Mike Ward, a journalism graduate of Oklahoma State University, has worked for newspapers in Georgia, Oklahoma and Florida, before coming to the Austin American Statesman in 1989. Frank Smith ’87 has been an editor and reporter for newspapers in both Texas and Florida for over 20 years and currently works as a senior copy editor for the Dallas Morning News.

“The course was the best preparation I had for what the news industry is really like. I learned what professionals would expect from my writing and learned how to delve into an issue and explore it in a story,” McDonald said.

For more information about the program or the interdisciplinary minor in journalism, visit the journalism studies website.    http://journalismstudies.tamu.edu/index.html              

-30-

Contact:  Holly Lambert, hollyalyselambert@libarts.tamu.edu, 979.862.4879