Thirty high school students from Dardanelle and Lamar learned about academic opportunities available within the Arkansas Tech University Department of Communication and Media Studies during the department’s second annual journalism day on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
The event included presentations from ATU students involved in the Society of Professional Journalists, the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Arka Tech campus newspaper. The high school students toured the Tech TV broadcast studio, met ATU campus ambassador Jerry the Bulldog and dined on hot dogs donated by Tyson Foods.
Megan Toland, ATU assistant professor of journalism, and ATU senior Maddie VanderKooi of Piggott, president for the ATU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, took the lead in planning the journalism day.
“We had help and support from a wide variety of students and professors,” said Toland. “The day was successful due to the commitment and hard work of our students.”
Journalism majors at ATU may choose to pursue an emphasis in broadcast journalism, print journalism or public relations.
“From our state-of-the-art TV studio to our fine tradition in journalistic writing to our energetic student groups, journalism is thriving at ATU,” said Dr. David J. Eshelman, professor of communication and head of the ATU Department of Communication and Media Studies.
Area high schools with an interest in sending students to ATU’s journalism day in future years may send e-mail to mtoland1@atu.edu.
Learn more about the ATU Department of Communication and Media Studies at www.atu.edu/cj.
