HSU Insider

Portraits from Nashville

• By Dave Coffield
• Posted October 19, 2006 1:57 PM
• 0 Comments

Several of our students just returned from the Collegiate Journalism Conference held by the Baptist Press at their headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the first time HSU has been represented. Although we don’t have a journalism school, it is vital that students in key journalism roles have the opportunity to network and receive outside critique of their efforts.

This year, we sent Bronco staff photographer, Tiffany Turk; Brand editor-in-chief, Christa Cantu-Harrison; and Brand managing editor, Rebecca Heard. Although we learned that this is an annual event for many universities, our students felt a little like they were going to “Antiques Roadshow� as they dusted off samples of their work and lugged them along for a little professional feedback. They discovered they all had hidden treasures. Tiffany learned that the HSU Bronco yearbook (with its innovative images, graphics, and layout) would be an instant award contender. The Brand editors learned that our student paper is a but a few changes away from entering award territory as well.

Our trio prepares for the BP awards banquet

The conference was a real confidence builder for all. The networking among peers, critiques, awards, fellowship, and learning sessions (all in the nurturing environment of the Baptist Press corporate building) were an invaluable learning experience. Most of all, our kids learned that they aren’t alone; and, even though HSU doesn’t have a “J� school, we have the talent and vision to produce journalistic material that will compete with the largest schools.

There was a little time to take in the sights, the Country Music Hall of Fame and a Nashville Ghost tour made the list, and Tiffany took her camera along just in case there was an Elvis sighting. She didn’t see Elvis, but she did meet “Officer Bling.� Nashville must take really good care of its police force, because we noticed 3 large diamond rings and a diamond encrusted watch in the candid photo below.

Officer "Bling"

Check out a few of the images from Nashville:

Rebecca and Christa take a time-out on the way back from the Country Music Hall of Fame

Rebecca pauses by the entrance to the Baptist Press offices

Tiffany mugging with "Officer Bling"

The consensus was that this should be an annual trek. The information and networking opportunities are invaluable, plus HSU can rack up even more awards (at the risk of making Baylor and Mary Hardin-Baylor feel insecure) for things that our students are already doing.