SJCC journalism students bring home multiple awards

The City College Times staff brought home four awards and one scholarship from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges annual state convention held April 3 through 5.

The convention was held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, and 545 students from 43 different schools were in attendance. Times students won awards for feature writing, photography, design and social media.

This convention gives students the opportunity to experience the real world of journalism through workshops, contests and critique sessions. Participating in contests provides students with hands-on experience similar to that of a professional journalist.

“JACC saved my life,” said Robert Hernandez, self-titled “web journalist” and professor at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Hernandez had his first JACC experience in 1996 when he was a student at Pierce College in Los Angeles. He spoke at the conference April 3 about his experiences thus far.

Students were able to talk to Hernandez and professors from other schools as well as professionals from publications such as the Los Angeles Times. Networking was encouraged.

“I talked to Jorge Medina from the Orange County Register,” said Steven Canalez, 18, journalism major. “He helped me find ways to pursue journalism after college.”

Workshops at the convention covered topics ranging from social media and digital journalism, to searching for jobs and designing tomorrow’s newspaper.

“I learned things in the freelancing workshop that I wouldn’t have learned in class,” said Justin San Diego, 23, journalism major. “It taught me practices that I will be able to use in my professional career.”

Toward the end of his speech, Hernandez spoke about horizontal loyalty, a concept taken from broadcast reporter Robert Krulwich’s commencement speech to the 2011 graduating class of UC Berkeley Journalism School.

“Don’t wait for a call from The New York Times. Don’t invest everything in your dream company. Don’t give your heart to strangers. Don’t wait your turn,” Krulwich said. “Instead, invest in your friends. Look toward them, the ones you admire, and put your faith in them.”

Hernandez said that horizontal loyalty is his personal and professional passion.

“We support each other and we challenge each other,” Hernandez said. “But, while every generation feels this way, the difference is that we can and need to build something together.”