WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - April 07, 2017) - The Online News Association is now accepting applications from students and mentors for the ONA17 Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab. The Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab immerses undergraduate and graduate college students in a digital media environment by providing hands-on experience during the three-day Online News Association Conference & Awards Banquet, Oct. 5-7, in Washington, D.C.
Supported for the eighth year by Google, 20 select students will produce content and tools for the conference website before and during the conference under the personal guidance of professional mentors.
New for 2017 is an emphasis on product. As part of the application, students and mentors will be asked what they would like to implement as part of their role in the Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab. This innovation can range from unexpected story ideas, to creative storytelling techniques, to new tools built by participants themselves -- these are ideas that live at the intersection of content and product. The Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab is designed for students who want to experiment.
"We're really excited to be taking our great student newsroom in a new direction. So many journalism students are being encouraged to innovate and this will give them another outlet for experimenting and gaining real-world experience," said Michelle Johnson, Associate Professor of the Practice, Journalism, at Boston University and a Co-chair of the Student Newsroom.
Students will also get the chance to attend conference programming led by experts in digital journalism, network with attendees and acquire new digital media skills. All expenses -- lodging, travel and registration fees -- are paid.
Sixteen mentors with digital skills have an opportunity to guide one or two students before and during the conference, working one-on-one with them to help develop story ideas and advise coverage production. Mentors receive free conference registration. They also have a chance to pay it forward, shaping the skills of tomorrow's leaders in digital journalism.
To qualify, students must be a sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student enrolled full-time in the fall semester of 2017 at an accredited college or university. Mentors should have a background in journalism, teaching, mentoring or training.
Applications for the Student Newsroom and Innovation Lab are due by 11:59 p.m. ET, May 4. Check out the work from the ONA16 Student Newsroom and email ona17newsroom@journalists.org with any questions.
Contact Information:
Jennifer Mizgata