Vol State Editors Visit Chicago

The day in the life of a Volunteer Community College editor in chief is never easy; especially, when we find ourselves attending a national convention with over 2,000 other college media students from around the nation.

As editor in chief of the Vol State magazine, “The Pioneer,” I have embarked on an adventure to Chicago, IL to attend the 91st annual Associated Collegiate Press (ACP)/College Media Convention (CMA) along with Adam Proctor, editor in chief of the Vol State newspaper, “The Settler,” and our advisor, Clay Scott.

The convention is made of over 100 seminars that cover different areas of media, from broadcasting, to design, to media law, and more. With so many sessions going on at one time, it’s difficult to decide on just one.

But it is not all work, there is time to play, relax, and give into temptation. One of the sessions was an Improv session on journalism; the comedians were very entertaining as they gave students ideas on how to improve relationships with staff in the newsroom.

This morning there was a first amendment breakfast that included free food. With free, there is always a catch. Those partaking in the meal had to give up their first amendment rights, which meant, no speaking, no peaceful assembly with friends and no right to petition for redress of grievance. If you broke the rules, then you were sent to jail. In jail a small protest broke out. This meal was actually too expensive for me to join in on, so I enjoyed my 99 cent donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Navy Pier on Lake Michigan

The convention is also an opportunity to meet and mingle with others in the media field. Being a journalist is a lot about gathering sources. While at the convention I have been able to speak with many other students from different publications and hearing what works for them and the directions that their publication is going.

I was able to meet and chat with Donald Dean of Indiana University. Dean covered the Poor People Campaign in 1968, where he met Martin Luther King Jr. The conversation was eye opening and pretty cool to meet someone who has had the opportunity to work an event that has changed the lives of many.

Hopefully, this convention will help shed light toward a new direction that the publications should be headed toward.