Earlier this month, the SND Foundation, in collaboration with SND (Society for News Design), had the privilege of participating in the ACP Spring National College Media Conference held in the picturesque La Jolla, California. With over 800 journalism students in attendance, the event proved to be a vibrant platform for learning, networking, and celebrating excellence in collegiate media.
Empower the Future of Visual Storytelling!
Your donation to the SND Foundation supports vital training, accessibility initiatives, and travel sponsorships for aspiring journalists. Break barriers and nurture the next generation.
The conference boasted a diverse array of sessions, with SND members leading more than 16 sessions covering topics ranging from typography and graphics to leadership and accessibility. With more than 80 professionals contributing their expertise, attendees from 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities, across print, digital, and broadcast mediums, were treated to a wealth of insights and practical advice.
“Our goal is to help students and young professionals by promoting and facilitating design and visual storytelling best practices and helping students, advisors, and journalists understand the importance of accessibility across all mediums,” shared Paige K. Connor, Chair of the SND Foundation. “It was exciting to see so many SND members give their time to support our mission by sharing their knowledge and experience.”
SND members such as Jon Wile (SND President), Alex Fong (SND Vice President), Sara Quinn (SND Foundation Trustee), and Gary Metzker (SND Foundation Trustee) joined Connor at the event, sharing their expertise and inspiring the next generation of journalists.
Inaugural Design Museum
Notably, the SND Foundation introduced the inaugural Design Museum, inspired by the renowned “art museum” exercise in Google’s Design Sprints. This interactive workshop provided a platform for participants to engage in lively discussions and receive valuable feedback from both peers and industry professionals, fostering growth and innovation in writing, editing, and design techniques.
“The design museum created a lot of buzz and showcased the diversity in approaches from colleges all across the nation in terms of content, photography, illustration and design,” Fong observed. “I’m also buoyed by the passion on display from student journalists and by the schools that came to the table with work in digital, which is such a hugely important part of what we do now in professional newsrooms.”
Student Media Awards
During the ACP Award Ceremony on March 9, DIG en Español from California State University Long Beach clinched the first SND Design Museum Award, a testament to their outstanding work recognized by their peers. Additionally, ACP honored pioneers of collegiate journalism education, including Jim Rodenbush, Emily Sendin, and Arvli Ward, for their exceptional leadership and contributions to the field.
Rick Green, from the Lexington Herald-Leader (KY), was also recognized as the first “Friend of ACP & Collegiate Media,” further underscoring the conference’s commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all involved.
“I cannot stress how important the relationship is between the Society and ACP. It’s been a long-standing mission of SND to train and educate about visual journalism, which aligns with ACP’s mission,” said Wile. “I’ve been to two ACP workshops recently and have been impressed with the training and networking opportunities that Laura {Widmer} and her staff have offered.”
The partnership between SND, SND Foundation, and ACP reflects a shared dedication to educating and empowering student journalists, enhancing the quality of student media, and nurturing future careers in the industry.
As the SND Foundation and SND look to the future, we remain committed to providing even more opportunities for students to pursue their passions and make meaningful contributions to the world of journalism and visual storytelling.
Empower the Future of Visual Storytelling!
Your donation to the SND Foundation supports vital training, accessibility initiatives, and travel sponsorships for aspiring journalists. Break barriers and nurture the next generation.