Category Archives: Training and Mentorship

Story and photo by Louise Dewast, 2017 JAWS Fellow

Trauma and resilience are two words that people forget are compatible. This wisdom is especially important for journalists to remember.

While everyone deals with negative emotions, as reporters in the field, many of us have experienced disturbing scenes or interviewed survivors of traumatic events. The after-effects of these encounters often leave us emotionally depleted. We find ourselves asking, “How do I cope and keep doing my job?”

Story by Nesimaa Aberra, 2017 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Andrea Crowley-Hughes, JAWS Communication Manager

For anyone who thinks managing social media in a newsroom simply entails tweeting or posting a story link on Facebook, think again. According to Renee Ernst, producer of social publishing at CNN, it means being a gatekeeper of breaking news with an extreme amount of responsibility.

CAMP 2017 in Hot Springs, Ark. was in full swing on Saturday, Oct. 28, with a wide variety of panels, Betsy Wade taking the stage for the Fran Lewine Interview, lunch […]

Story and photo by Brooke Lewis, 2017 JAWS Fellow

When Charisse Gibson has a date, she starts off with a disclaimer. The breaking news anchor for the Fox19 Now Morning Show in Cincinnati wants to make clear from the beginning what to expect when dating a working journalist.

Story by Chandra Bozelko, 2017 JAWS Fellow

After leading a plenary session, “Slow Thinking: Self-Audits and Superior Sources: A Toolbox for Counteracting Bias,” New York Times op-ed editor Jenée Desmond-Harris and KQED host Tonya Mosley led an Implicit Bias Training Debrief for approximately 25 attendees of Journalism and Women Symposium’s Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) in Hot Springs, Ark.

Story and photo by Mia Warren, 2017 JAWS Fellow

The first step in reporting on health care crises, said Mary Meehan, is “do no harm.” Mary — a journalist at the Ohio Valley Resource — used the Zika virus as an example.

Story by Lisa Thomson, 2017 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Andrea Crowley-Hughes, JAWS Communication Manager

Speakers from the American Press Institute offered insight into the purpose and value of media analytics, along with a few platform suggestions, at the Journalism and Women Symposium’s annual conference on Sunday, Oct. 29. The “Metrics to Magnify Your Journalism” panel was led by Liz Worthington (director of content strategy), Amy Kovac-Ashley (senior newsroom learning program manager) and Katie Kutsko (assistant program manager).

Story by Chandra Bozelko, 2017 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Lynn Sweet, the Chicago Sun-Times Washington bureau chief, spoke at a luncheon at the Journalism and Women Symposium’s Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) 2017 on Saturday, Oct. 28.

StoryCorps has a new outreach program.

StoryCorps.me allows organizations to form their own communities, where they can create and house their oral archives.

By Lindsey Anderson, JAWS member

Bummed you can’t make it to Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) this year? You can still follow the goings-on in Hot Springs from afar.

Like all good journalists, dozens of attendees will be tweeting from each conference session. Check out the hashtag #jaws17 on social media for panel highlights and the low-down on the latest in journalism.

Get ready to bid!

The annual online auction for Journalism and Women Symposium is now open, giving you one week to bid on a California vacation, a leadership coaching session or a guided stroll in Central Park — all while raising money to support the mentoring, training and support provided by Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS).

by Jennifer Oldham, JAWS member

Sometimes I miss the newsroom.

Not the balding septuagenarian who alternated between snoring, cursing at sources and trying to pick up thirty-somethings as they walked by.  Nor the editor who shouted instructions to reporters on deadline. And certainly not the mice that periodically appeared unannounced under our desks.

But the adrenaline-fueled story meetings to map out how to cover breaking news, the understanding ear of a fellow writer and the shared satisfaction of a published byline are routinely lacking in my home office.

By Kira Zalan, JAWS member

Why does the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas have an Al Capone suite? Because the legendary gangster loved staying at the charming property and often rented the entire fourth floor. Legend has it he preferred direct access to the bath house, a clear view of the club across the street (now a museum), and the hidden exits in case of a raid.

by Lindsey Anderson, JAWS member

As we get closer and closer to CAMP, it’s time to start thinking about what to pack!

CAMP is casual, so swap your suits and pencil skirts for jeans, casual tops and comfy shoes. T-shirts from previous CAMPs are especially welcome.

One of the joys of traveling to different destinations every year for Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) is the chance to try a variety of cuisines. In addition to breakfasts, lunches and dinners at The Arlington Hotel Resort & Spa, Hot Springs offers plenty of dining spots to enjoy.

We have a multi-talented group of women authors who’ve agreed to bring copies of their latest published work to CAMP to share with our attendees at Books & Browse Saturday night (Oct. 28).

Take a look at our list of featured authors and come prepared talk shop over a glass of wine—and purchase a book or two!

By Roxann Elliott, incoming Operations Director

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…

As we gear up for CAMP 2017, we’re once again calling for CAMPers to step up to the plate as mentors for their fellow journalists over the weekend in Hot Springs, Ark.

by Jennifer Oldham, JAWS member

Once home to both President Bill Clinton and notorious gangsters—an interesting juxtaposition—this year’s Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) location Hot Springs, Ark., is also the oldest park managed by the National Park Service. The designation is meant to protect about a million gallons of the 143-degree water that flow daily out of the low-lying Ouachita Mountains to fill 47 hot springs.

By Katherine Rowlands, JAWS member

One of our most successful and fun fundraising efforts for JAWS is the online auction, which will give you the chance to bid during the month of October on a vacation in California, a painting for your office or expert training in career-building skills.