A Magazine by the Society of Professional Journalists



August 28th, 2017 • Quill Archives
Students and design: a return to kindergarten

Chocolate Milk. Capri Sun drink pouches. Snickerdoodles. Sugar cookies. Pipe cleaners. Glitter glue. Colored feathers. The checkout clerk asks, “Looks like a fun party — kid’s birthday?” “No,” I answer. “Just supplies for a journalism design class. College kids.” And so it went almost every week this past school year: snacks and crafts and lots of learning.


January 31st, 2010 • Quill Archives, Education Toolbox
Education Toolbox

You, too, can be a Fulbright scholar. The Fulbright Scholar Program is not just for educators with Ph.D.s. Journalism practitioners and students can apply to participate, too. One just needs patience, a worthwhile proposal and/or professional skills that other countries want to tap — and now’s the time to begin the application process.


May 1st, 2009 • Quill Archives
Landing a job in today’s economy

As a journalism professor working in today’s economy, I worry about what to tell my bright-eyed, enthusiastic seniors who are about to graduate, looking for a job in the media and ready to use their degrees. The optimistic Gene Ely, longtime journalist and editor and publisher of the online publication MediaLifeMagazine.com,


August 1st, 2008 • Quill Archives
Democratizing Media

Halfway through my fall semester magazine writing course in 2007, I decided to stray from the syllabus. I would have my 23 upperclassmen choose five print stories from all the students’ work and do the written pieces via video. My thought: This would help them develop skills they need.


August 1st, 2006 • Quill Archives
Core requirement

Credible journalists believe strong ethics are crucial to their trustworthiness with viewers, readers and listeners. However, a recent study shows only about a third of the 247 responding journalism programs require students to take an ethics class. As a professor at one of those schools that don’t require an ethics class, I’m working to change that.


July 29th, 2005 • Quill Archives
Importance of an international education

Journalism educators and working journalists agree that students who hope to work in today’s media organizations need to have an understanding of globalization, international affairs and cultural differences — and getting this experience firsthand is optimal. Their opinions about how students get this experience may vary, but their beliefs about the overall importance of a global education do not.


July 29th, 2005 • Quill Archives
Paris seminar gives students insight into other cultures

International Media Seminar! In Paris! In May! Although my original motives to go to France might have been a bit selfish, as I pondered the possibilities such a seminar might present for University of Northern Colorado journalism and communication students, my intentions became much more academic.


September 14th, 2001 • Quill Archives
The search for sound advice

Twenty-five years ago, I went into the work world without ethical decision-making skills. As a young journalist, I was too embarrassed to ask editors about matters of ethics; I thought they would think I was incompetent. I wasn’t sure who to ask for advice.