FIU SPJ Makes Staying Informed a National Priority

By Marisol Medina and Alexis Fernandez

The Florida International University Chapter of SPJ joined the discussion on how staying informed should be a national priority by participating in the first National News Engagement Day, organized by The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). SPJ members contributed to the effort by hosting a tabling event on Oct. 7.

Armed with 10 boxes of pizza, fully charged phones and an overflow of excitement about engaging passersby in the conversation, e-board members engaged students through Instagram videos, extensive tweets, and even got a message from the dean of the school of journalism and mass communications.

"Keep up with your news," Dean Raul Reis, who keeps up with the news these days not only from traditional outlets but also through social media warns students, told students.

Soon thereafter during a News Engagement Day panel, SPJ members Kathleen Devaney and Crystal Chew presented a video they produced on the impact of technology on journalism today.

Students and professors continued the conversation archiving 81,901 twitter impressions for the record.

For a behind the newsroom perspective, Howard Saltz, editor of the Sun-Sentinel, Anne Vazquez, associate editor, and Marian Lui, editor of SouthFlorida.com offered students helpful tips on how to stay connected with readers in a digital age.

The ability to identify reliable news and information in the 21st century is essential not just for individuals but also for a democracy.

Stay engaged!