Thousands of college students and journalism professionals from the U.S. and around the world gathered this past week to network and learn the latest in the news business at the 2024 National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) Convention. The 40th annual event took place at the Loew’s Hollywood Hotel from July 9 to 13.
Nine students from the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media in the College of Sciences attended the NAHJ conference, leaving a lasting impression on industry leaders and their peers. UCF student travel and accommodations were funded by the generosity of scholarships from NBCUniversal, the Nielsen Foundation, and the Ginsburg Center.
Industry leaders attended the event, providing opportunities to support future generations of journalists, and shared positive feedback about interacting with students from the College of Sciences at the conference.
“I was able to see a number of UCF students participate in our NBC and Telemundo Academy programs during last week’s 2024 NAHJ Convention in Los Angeles,” said Javier I. Ortiz, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Telemundo Station Group. “The students were engaging during the sessions and demonstrated the passion they have for the journalism career.”
Students also gained valuable experience and expressed appreciation for knowledge, insights, and connections they made during the event.
“This experience taught me many valuable lessons,” said Isabella Benjumea Palomino, President of UCF’s NAHJ student chapter. “One takeaway is the importance for us to be authentic in our work to better captivate our audience. Another lesson is the role of journalists in serving the public; everything we do is for our community, and we must never forget that. This was an unforgettable experience that I am so grateful to have been a part of.”
“Being able to attend this conference was such an incredible experience and turning point in my career,” said journalism major Grace Rodriguez. “Not only was I able to meet so many recruiters and hiring managers who provided a realistic idea of life after graduation, but I had conversations with industry giants like Cesar Conde. I’m so happy for this experience and am taking so much from it.”
The conference offered educational workshops about AI in news, ethics, investigative journalism, and held sessions which focused on ways to embrace authenticity and multilingualism. Recruiters also interacted with students and provided insight and guidance about the hiring process for newsrooms as well as interview tips.
“As a journalism major looking for a career in sports broadcasting, it was an honor to meet with professionals from ESPN and CBS Sports,” expressed journalism major, Nicholas Hernandez. “This conference gave me access to incredible networking opportunities with people I look up to. I can’t wait to continue building these relationships that will guide me in my career so that one day I can pay it forward to the next generation of journalism students.”
UCF is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). An HSI is a college or university where at least 25% of the undergraduate full-time enrollment is Hispanic, which allows UCF to receive federal grants aimed at improving educational opportunities and support services for Hispanic students. UCF’s NAHJ chapter is one of many pathways at the university that Hispanic students can connect, explore careers, and share knowledge with other students, faculty, and staff.
Written by Katie Coronado.
Published to Nicholson News on October 2nd, 2024.
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