By Chaunte’l Powell
HAMPTON, Va. — For the fourth consecutive year, the R.P. Scripps Auditorium was filled with eager young faces all ready to pick the brains of veterans in the journalism industry. The Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University hosted the Day of Diversity on Nov. 10.
The event featured editors and reporters from Associated Press Sports Editors members, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Daily Press, Washington Times, USA Today, Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel and Virginian-Pilot.
This year’s theme was “Covering Michael Vick” and students we able to discuss the career of the NFL quarterback as well as various other topics. Led by moderator Emilio Garcia-Ruiz of the Washington Post, students had the opportunity to hear stories and commentary from ESPN analyst Jemele Hill, Daily Press columnist David Teel, Washington Times sports editor Mike Harris and ESPN.com writer Ashley Fox, who weighed from Philadelphia in via Skype. Fox, a former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, interviewed recently and the video was watched by students.
Students gained more insight to his career, as well as the ethics behind the media coverage of his infamous dog fighting charges and conviction.
Throughout the entire workshop, students were encouraged to use Twitter, Facebook, take pictures, shoot video in addition to write stories as a part of Hampton’s initiative of training journalists to be multifaceted. Within the last five years, SHSJC has updated it’s curriculum as well it’s equipment in an effort to train students in multimedia cross-platform journalism.
Richmond Times-Dispatch sports editor Steve Trosky believes adaptation to new technologies is key to surviving in the industry in this day and age.
“Journalism is evolving,” he said. “It’s everything now, not just TV, radio and print. It’s good to see Scripps Howard is not just talking about the changed technology, but actually using it as well.”
Trosky has attended all four of the Day of Diversity workshops and says he continues to come back because of “the program itself as well as the opportunity to help young journalists.” He said he was able to gain a better understanding of who Vick is because of the different perspectives shared by the panel. It is this diversity that Trosky feels will help newsrooms produce newspapers that tell complete stories.
Hampton senior Malik Smith also appreciated the variety of views and opinions and the opportunity to write from a new perspective himself.
“ I enjoyed writing from a different angle,” said Smith, who received a Sports Journalist Institute internship through Scripps Howard Foundation and APSE. “It was nice to write from a more national rather than just an on-campus angle. I also enjoyed getting the chance to write on a subject I thought was interesting. Mick Vick is the most interesting character in sports, He’s a very unique person, and I had fun writing on him and hearing his story.”
Smith is one of the few Hampton students that can say they’ve had the opportunity to watch the event grow into what it is today.
“ I’ve been to three out of the last four Days of Diversity,” said Smith, who did his internship at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I have seen it grow over the years and incorporate more elements, such as letting people use professional cameras and Skype conferences. They (Hampton) emphasized all aspects of journalism this year and I predict next year will be even more awesome.”
Chaunte’l Powell is a senior at Hampton. Last summer she completed an internship at Asbury (N.J.) Park Press through Sport Journalism Institutue, Associated Press Sports Editors and Scripps Howard Foundation.
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