At the Associated Collegiate Press’ National College Journalism Convention in February in Los Angeles, three San Jose State University School of Journalism and Mass Communications students participated as part of a panel entitled “Stuck in the Middle with News: Living Between Print and Digital,” while the Spartan Daily also took home 13 awards in a collegiate media competition.

Rain Stites, Raechel Price and Jeremy Cummings discussed the importance of print experience for journalism students in a world that is increasingly becoming digital.

“As journalism moves in the direction of digital, we really tried to drive home how important we felt maintaining a print product was for our education,” Stites said, via email. “We discussed that, while we understand journalism is living in the digital era, print helped us really learn and understand the fundamentals of journalism.”

Stites said she and her fellow SJSU panelists discussed the convergence model at SJSU that incorporates print, broadcast and online experience.

“Print, from my own experience, really teaches the importance of deadlines, problem solving, time management, working to produce the most up-to-date story and fact checking,” said Stites, Journalism, ’16, who is currently the managing editor of Access Magazine (print) and content/managing editor of South Bay Pulse (digital). “Print has a sense of permanence about it. If you get anything incorrect, you’re credibility could fly out the window.”

She said digital formats also teach important lessons about immediacy and accuracy.

“When working with digital news, it’s important to get the story out as quickly as possible while also checking every little detail to ensure you’re reporting the truth,” she said.

Students take home 13 awards

During the same conference, the Spartan Daily received 13 awards at the California College Media Association’s Award Banquet Feb. 20.

The Spartan Daily finished third in the statewide “Best Daily Newspaper” category, the second year in a row that the Daily has finished among the top three in the CCMA competition. Out of more than 50 student publications participating, the Daily finished fourth in number of awards won.

Linh Nguyen took two first place awards, one for “Best Features Photograph” and another for “Best Newspaper Page/Design Spread.”  Raechel Price also won two awards, with a second place for “Best Photo Illustration” and she shared the award for “Best News Series.” Randy Vazquez and Abraham Rodriguez shared third place honors for “Best Non-News Video,” and Vazquez received honorable mention for “Best Breaking News Story.”

Brandon Chew, who won a first place award last year for “Best Photo Series,” took the coveted first place award for “Best News Photograph”, for a photo of the closing of the Jungle homeless encampment in San Jose.  Jeremy Cummings took second place for “Best A&E Story,” while Raphael Stroud and Matthew Dziak shared honors for “Best News Series.” Two honors were awarded to the full Daily staff – third place for “Best Daily Newspaper” and second place for “Best Special Section.”

The Daily ad staff shined as well, picking up first place for “Best Online Ad,” and third place for “Best Online Campaign” and “Best Ad Campaign.”