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CABJ Visits Capstone, October, 25th, 2007 |
Jannell McGrew and Dr. Mullins |
By Jannell McGrew, Coordinator
MJW Silver Anniversary Reunion
These are exciting times for The University of Alabama as the journalism department of the College of Communication and Information Sciences prepares for the 25th annual Multicultural Journalism Workshop, July 11-19, 2008.
The opening ceremony and Anniversary Reunion Banquet takes place Friday, July 11, at 5:30 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel on the UA campus. Along with the three now-retired faculty members who started it all in 1984 — Marian Huttenstine, Marie Parsons and Ed Mullins — I look forward to seeing scores, maybe hundreds, of you return to campus for the 25th birthday party of one of the longest-running diversity programs in the nation.
Huttenstine, Parsons and Mullins, who, together, have worked all 24 of the previous workshops, will be there. So will Merv Aubespin, who has worked more than half of them, who will be our keynote speaker on Friday, July 11, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. This year, MJW is selecting 25 students in honor of the program's silver anniversary. “Uncle Merv,” as he likes for the 'shoppers to call him, is returning for the 14th time. He is a retired editor of the Courier-Journal, in Louisville, Ky., and one of the founders of the National Association of Black Journalists.
This is indeed a special occasion for the hundreds of former students who have benefited from this successful program. Various alumni and communications professionals will dedicate time toward giving this year's students — 25 in all, one for each year of the workshop — one of the best experiences they could ever have in journalism.
With the 25th anniversary, students, alumni and workshop leaders decided to reflect the evolution of the workshop by holding a reunion of MJW participants — from visiting professionals to the most recent attendees still in high school.
I recall the program as one of the most exciting and educational opportunities I experienced as a newbie in journalism. It is my pleasure to be a part of a program I participated in as a student and one that has helped shape my career over the years.
MJW has done more than rally dozens of news-thirsty, would-be pros each year and give them an intense sneak-peek at the real world of news coverage; it is often credited as the turning point in the lives of many award-winning reporters and other communication professionals.
Won’t you join me as we look back at how far we've come and meet the new crop of workshop students, plus half a dozen students now in college who got their first taste of journalism at the workshop?
And we’ll also look ahead, expecting another 25 memorable years.
With each passing year, the diversity of cultures at the workshop has expanded. This year, we had applicants from 10 states from among blacks, whites, Hispanics and Asians, along with a number who identified themselves as mixed race.
It truly has been an evolution, from the Minority Journalism Workshop to the Multicultural Journalism Workshop. In fact, it was our workshop that Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, which has funded these opportunities for the past 50 years, cited as the wave of the future for workshops of its kind.
One of the major sources of support in terms of visiting professionals at the workshop has been the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists.
According to Dr. Jennifer D. Greer, chair of the journalism department: “This silver anniversary is a testament to the commitment the department has to training the next generation of journalists to succeed in an increasingly diverse U.S. society. We’re so fortunate to have founders Mullins, Parsons and Huttenstine leading this workshop as we celebrate its long success.”
Attending Friday and Saturday events costs only $35, which covers two meals. Make checks payable to The University of Alabama and fill out the registration form, a copy of which can be found at www.ccom.ua.edu/mjw. We recommend calling early for rooms at Tuscaloosa hotels. The closest to campus are the Sheraton Four Points and Hampton Inn.
For more information, contact me at jannelldmc@yahoo.com or Mullins at 205-246-3334 or email him at lemullins13@aol.com.