13 Trained at First Black College Wire Institute

Photo credit: Kimberly Whitfield, Grambling State "What I like about our program is, it was hands-on," said Reginald Owens, organizer of Black College Wire's intern training session.

In an intensive effort to prepare students for various internships this summer, the Black College Wire journalism project held its first-ever training institute for 13 students from nine different universities.

The students all have jobs either with black newspapers or as journalists producing stories and photos directly for Black College Wire, the online news service by and for black students, at blackcollegewire.org.

The student journalists came to Grambling State University and nearby Louisiana Tech University June 17-20, mostly from historically black institutions, for a program designed to strengthen their writing and reporting skills.

“I just wanted to expose the students to the basics of journalism,” said Reginald Owens, an associate professor of journalism at Louisiana Tech who organized the institute. “I’d seen similar things done at other programs and from my students . . . so we used a system that placed the students in an environment with their peers.”

The students used interviewing, reporting and writing exercises, Internet research and drills in grammar, spelling and Associated Press style to strengthen their skill as writers.

“What I like about our program is, it was hands-on. The students were actually writing stories and applying the principles that they had been taught,” Owens said.

The training program was staffed by Grambling assistant professor and student publication adviser Wanda Peters; Toogaloo College journalism director Eric Stringfellow, who also is a columnist at The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.; and Black College Wire director Betty Anne Williams.

Guest presenters were Don Walker, a reporter at The Times of Shreveport, La., and Eddie Blick, associate professor of journalism at Louisiana Tech. Robbie Evans, a reporter at the News-Star of Monroe, La., served as a mentor.

“I thought (the program) was a great opportunity to meet new people and other journalists,” said Benedict College senior Terrell Bryant. “The program gave me more experience in the field of journalism.”

Because of the institute, “I have a greater understanding and a greater appreciation of my contribution to the field of black media,” said Norfolk State University sophomore D’Angelo Gore.

“I enjoyed the networking and the opportunities that the program provides,” Gore added. “I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived in Louisiana, but the experience was nothing but positive.”

The Black College Wire project was founded in 2002 by Pearl Stewart, internship director and director of career development services at Florida A&M University, with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The goal was to teach students at historically black colleges more about journalism while enabling them to form an online news service that would connect them and their campuses.

The 10 students employed by the black newspapers and the three who are reporting regularly for Black College Wire this summer all receive stipends from the project for their work over 10 weeks.

The students in the institute split their time between Louisiana Tech and Grambling, where Dr. Rama Tunuguntla, chair of the department of mass communications, made them welcome.

Dr. Neari Warner, outgoing president of Grambling, and A.D. Smith, a member of the Grambling City Council, also addressed the group.

At the end of the institute, the students had formed new friendships and gained a wealth of knowledge about journalism.

“I got to meet and know a lot of new people,” said Bryant, who works on The Tiger’s Roar student newspaper at Benedict. “(I) formed more new relationships and learned journalism skills. The program was great and I would recommend it to all that are interested in journalism—starting with my staff!”

Gregory Brand is a student at Tennessee State University.

Posted June 24, 2004