By Iris Serrano
Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18) and Jack Moody
The last time the Colorado Student Media Association held its tentpole celebration of high school journalism in Boulder, most Americans got their news in print or on TV. Facebook didn’t yet exist. And the most advanced thing you could do on a mobile phone was place a call.
J-Day, too, has changed as young people increasingly ask thoughtful questions about the future of the industry and its need to innovate.Ěý
But pessimism was nowhere in sight last week at the University of Colorado Boulder, which welcomed more than 1,400 high school students and advisors for a day of learning about journalism, the media and more.Ěý
Shelby Javernick, director of student recruitment and outreach at the College of Media, Communication and Information, has regularly attended J-Day in the past, when it was held at Colorado State University, “so I had an idea of what to expect, in terms of energy and enthusiasm,” she said. “But my expectations were completely blown away, in terms of the number of students, their passion and curiosity for learning about the media, and how they engaged with speakers, our campus and each other.”
Students had the opportunity to hear from industry and academic experts who discussed topics like social media, generative artificial intelligence and career readiness. Some of the most popular sessions included a panel featuring representatives of ¶¶ŇőÂĂĐĐÉä Boulder student media organizations, a career prep session with 9News personalities, and multiple talks about sports journalism. Hundreds of students also attended tours of the campus, CMCI studios and academic spaces, and the campuses’ sports media operations.Ěý
For students like Colton Kominski, who’s active with Longmont High School’s yearbook, the event gave a new perspective on how to do his work effectively.Ěý
“The photography and videography session highlighted the importance of capturing people and their stories—and whether that’s through emotion, action or being spontaneous, it showed me the power that you can have in your photography,” said Kominski, a senior. “When you’re done with the yearbook, it’s like a time capsule—it will be held in the hands of your classmates for years to come.”
In her opening remarks, Lori Bergen, CMCI’s founding dean and a former reporter, spoke to the need for students to lead the charge as the news industry changes.Ěý
“I hope you leave here inspired about the craft of journalism and the importance of the media in today’s world, even as the industry adapts and innovates in the face of new challenges,” Bergen said.Ěý
Bigger than the news
While it’s called J-Day, the event isn’t just about journalism and the news—which is why it’s such a natural fit for CMCI. In addition to its journalism department, CMCI incorporates communication, information science, media studies and other related fields, challenging both students and faculty to explore the areas where these changing disciplines intersect—fertile ground for the careers of tomorrow.Ěý
“Journalism includes telling stories in a more interesting, intriguing and immersive way to get people to care about something,” Javernick said. “Within our college, there's a lot of overlap with journalism—everything connects because we're always going to need good storytellers.”Ěý
High school students who attended the workshops said the sessions reflected the balance CMCI aims to offer in its academic programs, including an emphasis on leadership and communication skills useful in any career—not just journalism.
Marley Rich, a junior from Aspen High School, said she enjoyed a session on how to be an editor for student media.Ěý
“I’m definitely going to try and connect with the other members of the staff more, and not isolate myself just because I’m editing their work,” said Rich, adding that the chance to see journalism “not as a concept, but actually as a career, has been really enlightening.”Ěý
Career insights
CMCI welcomed back Savannah Sellers (Jour’13), anchor for NBC News’ Morning News Now, as the keynote speaker. From the network’s New York headquarters, she offered words of encouragement from the perspective of someone who had once been in the shoes of the students in the room.
“Exploring journalism as a career opportunity can lead you to so many fantastic things in your life, and incredible opportunities,” she said. “It is a fun, rewarding, fulfilling path that is only getting more interesting, no matter if it’s changing. Also, I will say that ¶¶ŇőÂĂĐĐÉä Boulder was a fabulous place to study it.”
Sellers knows a thing or two about those changes: She is a co-host on Stay Tuned, a daily NBC news program aimed at younger viewers and delivered via Snapchat. She encouraged the audience to continue to make strides as journalism evolves.
“We need young people who are interested and invested in getting the true and correct information—getting real journalism onto any and all platforms that consumers are migrating to—and you are best positioned to be able to do that,” Sellers said. Ěý
Having the opportunity to learn from an alumna like Sellers inspired many students, including Kominski, of Longmont.Ěý
“Hearing from Savannah Sellers was so amazing, because now I know it’s possible to get into this career and make it my own,” he said.
That’s a perspective Iris Berkeley (Jour’01), operations manager for the student-run Radio 1190 station, recalled from her own time as a ¶¶ŇőÂĂĐĐÉä Boulder student.Ěý
“As an undergrad, I was heavily involved in student media, including not only Radio 1190 but also ¶¶ŇőÂĂĐĐÉä’s campus press,” said Berkeley, who attended J-Day along with student representatives for the station. “Both of those activities were hugely important when it came to establishing a career, and just helping me figure out what I loved most about the media field.”Ěý
From those opportunities as a campus journalist, Berkeley has enjoyed a varied career in media and communication that has included radio production, hosting and DJing.Ěý
That sense of possibility is what Patrick Moring, executive board president for the Colorado Student Media Association, wants for the students who bring such enthusiasm to J-Day.Ěý
“J-Day fires students up, it gets students excited,” said Moring, also the advisor for Rampart High School’s television broadcast program. “It gives them ideas about the tools that they need to work on if they want to have a career in this field and be a better journalist.”Ěý