The CMA ProCon 25’ conference provided me with a wide range of useful media skills, which will be helpful to bring back to The ֹr newsroom and will help me in my future career. One speaker, from Tarleton State University, taught us the importance of beat reporting and how to build better beats. One part of his lecture especially stuck with me, where he said a beat reporter’s goal is to hear the words, “You effected this change.”
Along with Lewter’s building better beats workshop, we also got the opportunity to learn about newspaper design techniques, what we can and cannot publish, media professionals tips to career success, culture reporting during uncertain times and much more. Overall, the conference was a wonderful experience and opportunity to network, learn and prepare for our future media careers.
Thank you!
Audrey Trevarthan, Managing Editor, The ֹr
Attending ProCon ’25 in NYC has been, without a doubt, the highlight of my experience working with KSU Student Media. There is only so much we can learn in Kent, so being able to visit NYC, the home of the most distinguished publications, was truly a blessing.
I was lucky enough to be chosen for a tour of the , led by their Editor-in-Chief. I sat in on their afternoon meeting, where they discussed what was going to be published in the afternoon issue. The energy and intelligence in the room radiated and is exactly what I have always envisioned I would be a part of one day, but it always seemed so far away and impossible. Now that I have witnessed it first-hand, I believe that it is possible, and I am more motivated than ever to make it happen. I am so proud to share that I gave the EIC a copy of A's Fall Issue.
We also had the honor of meeting Teen Vogue Editor, , who comes from a similar background to us. Hearing about her journey and knowing that there is someone at the table with Anna Wintour advocating for writers from state schools makes our goals seem a little more tangible. After her panel, we were able to give her a copy of our Fall Issue, which she reposted on her Instagram story!
Thank you so much to the donors who helped make this trip possible, we are so incredibly grateful for this experience. One day, I hope to be able to donate as well to ensure the future generations of A Magazine are awarded the same opportunities as we were.
Samantha Delima, Managing Editor, A Magazine
I feel so lucky and thankful that I was given the opportunity to travel to New York City and attend the ProCon 25 conference. Not only was it rewarding to get to tour the media capital of the world, but I learned so much from meeting a variety of journalists, editors, and other media professionals and attending seminars about many different topics in the industry. By getting to hear the experiences of professionals, I learned a lot about developing stronger stories, branding myself for my future career, and how to be well-rounded in our changing media environment.
Thank you to the donors who contribute to the Student Media Foundation and who helped fund this trip. New York has a special place in my heart, and getting to bond with my classmates, learn from a variety of media professionals, and tour the city was an experience I won’t forget.
Aden Graves, Beat Editor, The KentStater
Going to ProCon ‘25 was an experience that has impacted my perspective on journalism and will do so for the rest of my career. The importance of valuing curiosity and questioning the setup of the world around us is a piece of advice from many of the speakers that stuck with me.
Additionally, Austin Lewter, instructor at Tarleton State University, emphasized the fact that if we want our sources to respect us, then that means we have to get them to know us. You can’t build relationships with all of your sources, but when you do, they can be a reliable resource. This job doesn’t have to be, and isn’t supposed to be, transactional.
We would not have been able to hear from, learn from or speak to these professionals if it wasn’t for ֹ. We would like to thank our donors who have made contributions to the McNabb foundation - we would not have made it to New York without you! Also, a special thanks goes to our student media director, Katrina Chandler, and our CCI Business Manager, Teri Donohue, for getting all of the behind-the-scenes details figured out. This experience has created better professionals in all of us and encouraged us all to grow as journalists.
Genna Sobiech, Editor-in-Chief, The Burr
A Magazine had an absolutely incredible weekend at CMA. We were able to network with industry professionals and even gave our recent print issue to Teen Vogue editor, Aiyana Ishmael, who gave it high praise.
Ishmael was one of the keynote speakers, along with Ashley Ballard (AKA on Instagram), and they spoke about where the fashion industry falls short in terms of diversity and inclusion. They further elaborated how they are advocating for change, and how we could too as student journalists. We also walked away knowing their back stories, and integral career advice. The other speakers we attended included topics, such as AI, shopping journalism, social media editing, and the role of social media in beauty journalism, to name a few.
On Thursday, we met up with Janelle Sessoms, A Magazine’s past managing editor, to discuss our progress on our next print issue and ask her about her job at . She also provided us with excellent career advice, and it was so fun catching up with her.
We are also ecstatic to announce we earned an Honorable Mention for the “Best Magazine” category, and we are extremely proud of our print team for their dedication and passion for this issue. It feels amazing to be honored for our work. We are so grateful to have attended this conference, as we have gained a new depth of knowledge and career advice that will be sure to help us succeed.
Kayla Friedman, Editor-in-Chief, A Magazine
I was fortunate enough to attend the 2025 College Media Association Conference in New York City, a place that has been described as “the media capital of the world.” During the conference, I attended lectures where I learned many tips and tricks to better my packages, writing, and leadership at ֹ. I am thrilled to say that I have gained much insight and knowledge through this experience and am excited to present new ideas to ֹr TV.
One of the most consistent sayings I heard from lecture to lecture was to build relationships with others by being kind to everyone you meet. Speakers stressed the importance of this by explaining how small newsrooms are today, and that you never know who might cross paths with you again in the future. They also emphasized that your reputation will follow you, and you want to have a good one as you apply for different markets throughout your career. The last tip regarding kindness was to be nice to the people you’re interviewing and not trick yourself into believing you’re above them. People with careers such as janitors, cleaners, and secretaries can have the inside scoop on things happening in the building that no one else is aware of. With that being said, it is extremely important as a journalist to build genuine connections with everyone, that are built with a caring and compassionate foundation, to help establish your reputation as a considerate and trustworthy reporter.
I also learned at the conference how to be successful in the newsroom. I was advised to study the scripts of other anchors, reporters, and producers to understand the proper structure of a story. An ABC News Executive advised us to listen to journalism podcasts, such as . Speakers told us that in order to secure a job, we should be willing to ask questions and do the work and that networking with peers and veteran journalists is crucial. While journalism is more of a calling than a career, a lot of work must be accomplished in a timely manner. This job is not a typical 9-to-5, so it is important to find harmony and not balance between personal and work life. I believe the most important and relevant takeaway for me from this conference is that failure is part of becoming a successful journalist. Every great journalist has had missteps and “oops” moments, but what separates them from other journalists is that they learn from their mistakes and do not repeat them.
Lex Radde, Broadcast Managing Editor, KSTV
Being able to attend the 2025 ProCon in New York City was a dream. I learned so many valuable lessons and left the convention feeling incredibly inspired. From getting to listen to industry professionals speak about their experiences to getting real-world feedback from the people who are wildly successful within the field of magazine writing, I felt as though I was doing something really beneficial for my career and my education in general. Getting to attend the convention left me feeling more inspired than ever, and I am incredibly grateful to the Student Media Foundation and ֹ for allowing us this incredible opportunity.
Hannah Planey, Assistant Editor, A Mag
The College Media Association ProCon was one of the most intriguing experiences of my college career. The highlight of our trip for me was meeting journalism students from across the country and learning about their newsrooms. Every student media organization covers a different community with unique issues to cover. I met students from as far away as Washington state. I also loved meeting industry professionals and making new connections with them. I hope to one day attend the convention as a professional myself.
Michael Neenan, Newscast Producer, KSTV
