Setting the Standard: FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication
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Since its founding in 1982, Florida A&M University's (FAMU) School of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC) has continually received high marks for the quality of its graduates. Students have earned awards from the Associated Press, CNN, the coveted William Randolph Hearst Medallion, and numerous other honors for their work on multiple media platforms.
In 2009, journalism, graphic, and photography students in SJGC have collected fourteen awards from the Florida Associated Press Broadcast (FAPB) contest and the Florida College Press Association (FCPA) Better Newspaper contest.
Alexis Blackwell, who won a first place AP Award for "Best Radio Newscast" for WANM 90.5, attributed her win to SJGC faculty support. "I don't think I would have received the training, love, and support from any other school than the FAMU SJGC," said Blackwell.
FAMU's WANM-FM radio station, Journey Magazine, and four journalism and graphic communication students were named "2008 Best of the South" contest winners by the Southeastern Journalism Conference. The competition included students from thirty-two colleges and universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Brent Hatchett, a senior broadcast student from Detroit, Mich., was the first-place winner in the "Best Television Journalist" category. Hatchett served as a FAMU TV 20 news anchor in the fall of 2008 and regularly hosted a gospel program on WANM 90.5. He also won a Hearst Award for one of his TV news packages.
Xion Lester, a senior broadcast student from Tallahassee, Fla., who also is an anchor for FAMU TV 20 News at Five, won third place in the "Best Radio Journalist" category. Leitoya Snelling, a junior arts education student from Tallahassee, won first place in the "Best Magazine Layout" category. Taylar Barrington, a freshman photography student from Stone Mountain, Ga., received an honorable mention in the Best Press Photographer category.
State-of-the-Art Facilities Provide Training for Promising Careers
SJGC is located in a 100,000-square-foot building featuring state-of-the-art technology, including eleven computer labs, digital radio control rooms, two television studios, photography dark rooms, digital photography labs, a convergence newsroom, and numerous lab classrooms for students to learn and develop their skills. The SJGC is home to a variety of award-winning student-run media operations including, The Famuan newspaper, Journey Magazine, WANM Radio, FAMU-TV20, and Your Capitol Bureau—a news bureau that covers the Florida Legislature.
The school is comprised of two divisions—journalism and graphic communication. Both divisions offer accredited degree programs committed to preparing students for rewarding careers in broadcast (radio and TV) journalism, magazine production, newspaper journalism, public relations, graphic design, photography, and print management. Each program is taught by experienced faculty who are dedicated to teaching students how to enter the workforce as ethically grounded and technologically savvy professionals.
The Division of Journalism was the first journalism program at a historically black university to be nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) in 1982. The ACEJMC is the agency responsible for evaluating professional journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities.
The Division of Graphic Communication became one of only four graphic communication programs accredited by the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications in 2002.
SJGC students have the opportunity to get involved with several professional student organizations and honor societies, such as the Public Relations Student Society of America; National Association of Black Journalists; Kappa Tau Alpha; Society of Professional Journalists; Epsilon Pi Tau; Graphics Arts Club; and the Association for Women in Communications.
Housed in the SJGC is PRodigy Public Relations Firm, a student- run, campus-based company. The company has a mission to provide real-life, hands-on training and experience for students who are full-time public relations majors by allowing them to manage the company and provide a menu of services to clients.
Today, with a distinguished faculty, nearly 600 undergraduate and graduate students, and several professional organizations, SJGC sets the standard in journalism and graphic communication for the 21st century and beyond.
