Monmouth’s student-run newspaper traveled to California to attend the ACP Spring National College Media Conference. Between March 6 – 8, five editorial staff members attended the convention to learn more about student journalism from various professors and professionals in the field. In addition to learning about journalism, “The Outlook” took home 9th place in the Best in Show awards for schools under 15,000 students.
The convention was attended by over 100 other institutions across the country. Students had the opportunity to interact with other student journalists and share their experiences.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to see dozens of different school newspapers and what kind of stories other papers were covering,” explained Brendan Sheehan, Politics Editor for “The Outlook.” “It was intriguing seeing the different layouts and how other publications went about their papers. Not only was it cool to support other schools’ newspapers, but we learned a lot about new ideas we can use to continue making ‘The Outlook’ as informative as possible.”
“I loved being able to talk with and meet professionals within the industry, I think that this convention really instilled that I’m making the right decision by pursuing journalism,” agreed Ava McGinty, Features Editor.
The convention schedule consisted of over 160 breakout sessions where students could learn from known industry professionals. The convention primarily focused on journalism with topics ranging from free speech to coverage of sports, music, and even the politics of cannabis use.
Bailey Fredericks, Managing and Lifestyles Editor, is a public realtions major and found a session that was tailored to her studies here at Monmouth. “My favorite session I attended was ‘A Pro’s Perspective: Public Relations as a Career’ with Patrice Smith. I think public relations and journalism are so closely related that it was beneficial to have a session like this,” said Fredericks.
Much like Fredericks, Mairead Spellacy, Sports Editor, found sessions that centered around sports and sports careers. “My favorite session I attended was called ‘Your sports page sucks,’” said Spellacy. “The reason I liked this session so much was because it was real and honest. It allowed me to see where I need to grow and where I can improve in my own writing, editing, and designing.
Along with the breakout sessions, “The Outlook” team was able to attend three keynote speakers who reflected on their own experiences in the journalism industry.
“My favorite part of the trip was listening to the keynote speaker, Dilan Gohill. He shared his story where he was arrested while trying to cover protests on his campus. His story showed his true dedication and desire for journalism and the lengths he would go to share the truth with the public,” explained Spellacy.
Gohill was arrested back in 2024 at 19 years old for attending a student-run “sit-in to stop genocide” in support of Palestine. Gohill attended the event as a journalist and was arrested in violation of his 1st Amendment rights. He shared his experience during this event and the months that followed. He concluded his speech, encouraging audience members, “Student journalism isn’t a stepping stone to real journalism, it is real journalism.”
Reflecting on the trip after returning to campus, the editors can all agree that what they learned from the conference will be returning with them to the newsroom.
“I think we left the convention excited to implement new and exciting ideas into ‘The Outlook’. It was a perfect opportunity to refresh our minds and help us think outside of our typical layout and story ideas,” Fredericks said.
Each editor urged other clubs and organizations on campus to attend events just like this one.
“I took quite a lot away from this convention,” said Spellacy. “I would say the main thing I took away was an even deeper desire for journalism and the truth. Hearing stories from breaking news reporters to student journalists and beyond showed me truly why I love journalism.”
Sheehan added, “Monmouth University places huge emphasis on outside-of-the-classroom academic experience that not many other schools, especially ones of our size, do. It would be a grave mistake for students to pass up these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that can provide great benefits in students’ academic and professional lives.”
He concluded, “I took a lot of new lessons and skills from this conference, many going beyond the scope of journalism. Hearing from reporters who covered the California fires, or students arrested for covering protests, truly reinforced the idea that the United States needs a free and independent press to hold those in power accountable. Likewise, student newspapers can shed light on what may be going on behind closed doors at their schools and work to inform students, faculty, and administrators of major stories happening in their community. Student journalists play pivotal roles in our university systems, and their work doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.”
