Hampton University Scripps Howard students and professor study business journalism at Bloomberg in D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 10, 2018) — Six students and one professor from Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications attended a three-day business journalism workshop Jan. 8 to 10 in the Bloomberg News office in Washington, D.C.
Journalism majors Leenika Belfield-Martin, Mion Edwards, Brianna Jackson and Alexis Scott; strategic communication majors Aviel Brown and Jennifer Lowe; and assistant professor Butch Maier took the trip, which was jam-packed with learning sessions and funded by Bloomberg.
The HU group was joined in D.C. by — and collaborated with — a group of six Scripps students and a lecturer from Ohio University.
“This workshop was yet another huge showing that Bloomberg will go the distance not just to create a diversity pipeline for HBCU students but to nurture and expose young people to a sector of the media industry they may not have even imagined as a career,” Scripps Howard School Dean and Assistant Vice President for Marketing/Media B. DaVida Plummer said. “Ohio University’s Bob Stewart and I are so grateful to Bloomberg and to the Scripps Foundation for launching what we hope will be an ongoing benefit to our named schools.”
For Jackson, it was a preview of things to come.
Last semester, the senior secured a prestigious paid summer news internship at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York.
“This trip has gotten me really excited about completing my internship at Bloomberg next summer,” said Jackson, who is from Chesapeake, Virginia. “And hopefully I can work for Bloomberg after that, too.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity. The fact that we were the first group they did this with was really special and has gotten me excited for this year.”
Maier, a former editor-in-chief of Inside Business in Norfolk, taught the six HU students in JAC 451 Business Journalism in the fall. He teaches the course again this spring.
Three Bloomberg employees who visited HU last semester — Tom Contiliano, Bill Austin and Catherine Whelan — led a few of the many workshop sessions in D.C.
Sessions on Jan. 8 were titled “Finding the Business Angle”; “Understanding Financials”; “Interviewing Technique”; “The Bloomberg Way”; “Turning Text into Multimedia”; and “Using Social Media for Reporting.”
Jan. 9, students learned about “Real-Time News”; “Developing a Story”; “Covering the World’s Biggest Economy”; “Covering D.C.”; “Ethics, Fake News and Discipline”; and “Writing Well and Follow the Money.”
The morning sessions Jan. 10 were “Getting the Job”; “Profiles, Going Deeper”; and “Building a Career.”
During the sessions, the students from HU and Ohio University worked together in teams to complete interviewing, writing and editing assignments.
“It’s been really informative,” said Belfield-Martin, a sophomore from Laurel, Maryland. “And I enjoyed collaborating with students from another college.”
Distinguished speakers included Bloomberg founding editor Matt Winkler, creator of “The Bloomberg Way,” the textbook used in JAC 451.
“The experience was really once in a lifetime,” said Edwards, a senior from D.C. “I’m really thankful for it. I learned a lot of practical things about how to develop a story as a journalist.
“When I asked Matt Winkler three characteristics every journalist should have, he said, ‘Integrity, commitment and gratitude.’”
All three were apparent at the workshop.
Brown showed her appreciation for integrity.
“My biggest takeaway was that ethics and standards are really important for Bloomberg,” said the junior from San Diego. “And how much time they take in sourcing to make sure everything is protected, ethical and fair.”
Bloomberg showed its commitment.
Sessions featured longtime writers and editors, such as Bloomberg News D.C. bureau chief Craig Gordon. The company went the extra mile with speakers from around the world — including one who had flown in from London.
“The most encouraging thing that I found was a lot of the people who are higher up did not have direct backgrounds in finance,” said Lowe, a senior from Rancho Cucamonga, California. “This field was intimidating. It was really comforting to learn that you can learn on the job.”
HU students showed their gratitude.
“I am even more interested in business journalism now,” said Scott, a senior from Lansing, Michigan. “It opened my eyes to more possibilities than being on TV. I’ve learned how to develop my writing and how to get to the point in the best way.”
“I really appreciate this opportunity.”
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