Tonight's Extracurricular meeting/ mentor session

there was a pretty good turn-out in the lecture hall. Irena Choi Stern and Tami Luhby spoke about the mentor program. Last year's SPJ president Rebecca Castillo and this reporter (I usually hate when the Times does that)...ok, Rebecca and ME, that sounds better. Anyhoo, we spoke about SPJ. Just some plain facts and some references to last year just for comparison. Extracurricular j-school stuff is all pretty grass roots at CSJ, and this a chance to plant the seeds. SPJ is just the formal way to get things done and act as a student government. Official officers elections will be held by the end of September. Anyone who runs, or shows up at the start is automatically a member of the board, and people can join. The key is to get a critical mass of people along with some key officers to get the ball rolling for activities like happy hours, the yearbook, some pro-social work, student life, academic affairs,and raise money to do more of the same etc.

I also put in a plug for other extracurricular groups.. NABJ. NAHJ, CUPID (international development).. human rights.. more

I guess I could on and on about this. some folks have been asking me questions about it.
I don't mind at all. One of the odd things about the J-school is that in the past there has been little to no continuity. Eighty-five percent of the student graduate after 10 months and have no connection to the next class. As a part of the 15% (us part-timers), I have a chance to fill in some of the blanks. Although, it's not too self-deprecating to say, but I guess I am more involved to most in those times when the freelancing/other work world is not doing so well by me! For me it's the same as my reporting. just finding ways for people to learn and get together. Kumbaya


This year IS a new shake of the dice, and it is up to us to define what is we'll do.