Adviser Update Winter 2017 | Page 21

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GILLIAN MCGOLDRICK

Gillian McGoldrick is a sophomore journalism major at Temple University in Philadelphia . She was the two-year editor-in-chief of The Playwickian , a high school publication that garnered national attention for refusing to print the mascot , the r-word . Despite being removed as editor-in-chief for a month for refusing to print the mascot , Gillian has been named Philadelphia magazine ’ s Best Philadelphian , as well as SPLC and NSPA ’ s Courage in Student Journalism awardee , among many others .

rights to act as an editor .

The biggest problem that I ran into once I got to college was that I had been so caught up , constantly fighting my administration and school board , that once I got to school , my writing skills were so far behind . I had been so focused on holding onto my rights that it disrupted my education on how to truly work as a journalist . I felt myself second-guessing every question I asked to an interview subject or if my nut-graph was even accurate , but if I had had an administration that respected my rights of freedom of expression , I would have been ahead of the game .

Although the issues in high school I faced as a student journalist ended , new ones have arisen since I ’ ve been in college . Journalism isn ’ t necessarily easy now that I have more freedom to write ( although I thank my lucky stars I get the chance to be an editor for the independent student newspaper The Temple News every day ). The reality is , good investigative journalism is hard to do as a fulltime student ( and intern , and editor and Residential Assistant like I am ). FOIA requests have been appealed and still denied . My university ’ s communications team makes it really hard to speak with high-level administration , even for positive stories about the university and it ’ s IMPOSSIBLE if it doesn ’ t look good for the school . The freedoms of college journalism feel like a breath of fresh air since my administration set me so far back behind my peers in terms of my journalism skills , but there are just bigger bureaucracies to bother now .

It is still scary standing up to officials that are higher ranked than me , but speaking truth to power is so much more important than worrying about shaking hands or a crackling voice .

STORYTELLING

At the Columbia Scholastic Press Association ’ s 93 rd Annual Spring Convention on Columbia University ’ s campus on March 15-17 , 2017 .

Columbia again welcomes student editors and faculty advisers to newspapers , yearbooks , magazines , video productions and online media from schools throughout the United States and Canada , as well as overseas schools following an American plan of education .

Convention delegates can choose from 350 or more sessions organized in sequences for newspaper — print and online , yearbook , magazine , photography , social media , law and ethics , video , advisers and digital media . All sequences will run simultaneously throughout the three days of the convention .

Free on-site critiques will be offered throughout the three-day convention . CSPA is also planning Student and Adviser Swap Shops throughout the 2017 Scholastic Convention . http :// cspa . columbia . edu

These are scenes from the 2016 convention . Photos by Rebecca Castillo , Alan Murray and Mark Murray .

Here are a few of the things you ’ ll learn when you attend : Journalism

Columbia University

New York City

Networking

CSPA offers a wide variety of sessions over three days in different topics about journalism . They are taught by award-winning advisers as well as professional New York City journalists .

Since 1925 CSPA has been housed at Columbia University , one of the top universities in the world . All events of the convention are held on campus including sessions in classrooms that Columbia students use .

New York City has many national landmarks as well as cultures . You will have time in the late afternoons and evenings to explore the city and all of its offerings .

Meet and network with students and faculty advisers from different cities and states . Get a chance to learn from each other . cspa @ columbia . edu @ cspa

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