Response...Talking to the Accrediting Team

Last week, Tuesday, a group of about 20 undergraduates and graduate students from the magazine sequence sat down with Doug Boyd,  a Professor and Chief of Staff at the University of Kentucky to discuss what our experiences at the JSchool have been like -- what we enjoyed and what we wish we could change. This team of professions visits campus every six years to t assess the journalism program and re-accredit the school. We discussed the diversity of the faculty and staff that we've worked with throughout our time here. It came as no surprise to me that we all came to the consensus that Missouri's journalism program is one that none will soon surpass -- which is why nearly all of us chose Missouri in the first place. 


Although the name recognition that Missouri offers to prospective employers is not the only thing that will get us the job, the fact that our vast array of opportunities is part of that name will get us the experience that will develop into where our careers take us. For example, this summer I was at Hollywood Life in New York City and despite the fact that I don't claim to be a wonder with reporting, the skills I gained in that area during the school year was a major benefit in taking my role as an intern from minimal to fully engaging myself in the experience of being on a real journalism staff.


We also discussed technology and whether or not we had access to the newest versions and devices that were available. It seems to me that even at other journalism schools they are not getting the same opportunities we are to work with iPad development, camera technology and integrating multimedia into every platform of journalism. This, however, can be a disadvantage to some -- one of the graduate students shared her thoughts on how even though it is wonderful that we have these opportunities, graduate students come into the program and don't know where to begin or how to decide on which courses will be the most beneficial. For undergraduate students, we have four years to decided on a number of different courses and are given more chances to take the classes we want -- graduate students usually have only a fraction of that time. 


All in all, the experience of participating in this panel was great. As I looked around the room that day I saw individuals that I have worked with a number of times and am still working with this semester. It's a bit surreal to think that I was able to be selected based on my current graduation status -- less than three months to the day I will have completed my schooling.