Parkland College hosts ICCJA conference, earns awards

In 1974, ICCJA was organized to help community college publications, mostly newspapers, to network, provide additional training for their staffs, and celebrate exceptional student journalism at the community college level.

This year, a total of eight advisors and 17 students from nine Illinois community colleges attended the conference, including Parkland College, College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, John A. Logan College in Carterville, Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Lake Land College in Mattoon, Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Rock Valley College in Rockford, and Wilbur Wright College in Chicago.

Attendees heard welcome remarks from Parkland President Pam Lau followed by a keynote address from UIUC professor Colleen King. She also serves as the inaugural director of the College of Media’s Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media.

Throughout the day, students networked and attended various breakout sessions, including ethics in student journalism, graphic design, writing for societal change, and podcasting on a budget. An awards ceremony concluded the event.

Parkland student Sophia Naylor, who graduated last fall, was awarded an honorable mention in the Arts Review Division 2 category for her piece on fall-themed treats in Champaign-Urbana. Student Trustee Perla Juarez-Cuevas was awarded second place in the podcast category in recognition of her work on topics like pop culture and Flock cameras.

"A talented writer, Sophia made valuable contributions to The Prospectus over the past several years," said Sadie Kimbrough, who advises The Prospectus. "Staff members who worked with her were thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved recognition."

Kimbrough added: "Perla’s honor is also well deserved. It’s exciting to see podcasting receive this kind of recognition, as the format has grown increasingly popular with both our staff and audience. While podcasting is a versatile medium, sustaining an interesting and informative conversation in real time is a skill not everyone possesses or enjoys. Perla demonstrates this ability consistently, and the entire team is pleased to see her hard work rewarded."

Parkland Director of Student Life Brennon Hightower added: "The Prospectus has consistently earned multiple awards over the years through the ICCJA student journalism contest. Hosting this year’s conference at Parkland College provided an opportunity for us to support the association, which we are proud to be a part of."

Jan Kopischke, Student Publications Advisor at Moraine Valley Community College, organized this year’s event.

"I thought the event was a great chance for our respective students to see a different campus than their own, and to be able to hear from experts on various topics," Kopischke said. "I was very grateful for all the work Brennon did on her end to make sure things ran smoothly, that we had spaces to meet, food to sustain us, and a warm welcome."

Kopischke added: "It gives me hope students across the state are still interested in telling stories, reporting on events on their campuses, and being creative with the work they produce. It gives me great joy to celebrate with them on their respective awards. I hope the names that come up over again consider some part in reporting events, expressing opinions, and sharing human interest stories in some way after they leave our institutions."

As new Prospectus advisor this year, Kimbrough looks forward to helping each staff member identify their interests and develop them into strong reporters as they begin their journeys as student journalists.

"Building a sense of camaraderie and professional community with the reporters, photographers, and designers from across the state is incredibly important," Kimbrough said. "In a field that can sometimes feel stressful or intimidating, student journalists need encouragement to keep learning and grow in their craft. The ICCJA Conference was a great display of people from all walks of life committed to telling stories and sharing them with one another. Being surrounded by that passion reminded our staff why journalism matters in the first place."