Call for Business Journalism Professors Seminar 2011

The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism is offering fellowships worth $2,000 for four days of intensive study in how to teach an undergraduate course in business journalism Jan. 4-7, 2011, in Phoenix.

Limited to 12 prospective professors, the fifth annual “Business Journalism Professors Seminar” will take place during Reynolds Business Journalism Week at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Fellowships cover the full cost of training, lodging, materials and most meals. In addition, fellows receive a $500 stipend to help offset travel and other costs.

Pam Luecke, Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism at Washington and Lee University, teaches at the 2010 Business Journalism Professors Seminar at Arizona State University. Photo by Molly Smith.

This seminar will cover the essentials of teaching a hands-on course, including financial, economic and writing aspects. It is an opportunity for prospective business journalism professors to learn from experienced instructors and journalism professionals, with follow-up after the seminar ends as well.

A 2008 participant, Roger Desmond, professor of communication at the University of Hartford, won a university award for innovation in teaching for starting a business journalism course. The award “came with some extra money for research and travel, and of course, I owe it all to you!” he wrote.

The sessions will be led by award-winning professors and journalists, including James Gentry, journalism professor at the University of Kansas. Gentry received the Barry Sherman Teaching Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in 2008.

A highlight of the week will be a panel discussion with the legendary investigative-reporting duo of Don Barlett and Jim Steele, along with the 2010 winners of the Reynolds Center’s Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism.

In addition, business journalists from around the country, who are attending a concurrent seminar called “Strictly Financials,” will attend some classes with the professors.

The selection process is highly competitive, and applicants must supply the following by 11:59 p.m. PDT Nov. 1 at BusinessJournalism.org:

Here’s the agenda for the 2011 seminar:

REYNOLDS BUSINESS JOURNALISM WEEK

AGENDA: “Business Journalism Professors Seminar”

Phoenix, Ariz.

Jan. 4-7, 2011

TUESDAY—Jan. 5, 2010

8 a.m. Continental Breakfast—(Combined groups)— First Amendment Forum

8:30 a.m. Welcome —(Combined groups)— Forum— Andrew Leckey

9 a.m.“Today’s Business Journalists as Investigators” —(Combined groups)—Forum— Diana Henriques, The New York Times

10:15-10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. “Deciding What to Teach” —(Professors)— RM 355—Chris Roush

NOON Box lunch with Diana Henriques —(Combined groups)— Forum

1:30 p.m. “Organizing Your Class” —(Professors)—RM 355—Roush

2:30 p.m. Case Study: “Syllabus Writing”—(Professors)—RM 355—Roush

3:15-3:30 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. “Resources and Keeping Students Interested” —(Professors)— RM 355—Roush

5-5:45 p.m. Cronkite Building Tour – optional—(Combined groups)—RM 306—Liz Smith

5:45 p.m. Dinner —(Combined groups)—Forum

WEDNESDAY—Jan. 5, 2010

8 a.m. Continental breakfast —(Combined groups)—Forum

8:30 a.m. “Mission Possible: Assignments that Build Skills” —(Combined groups)—RMS 355—Pam Leucke

9:45 a.m. “Preparing Students for Business Journalism’s Future”—RM 355—Randy Smith

10:45-11 a.m. Break

NOON Awards Luncheon with Don Barlett and Jim Steele—(Combined groups)—Forum
“Reynolds Center’s 2009 Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism”—Panel Discussion and Presentation of Awards

1:30 p.m. “Teaching the Effective Use of Data in Business Coverage” —RMS 355—Steve Doig

3-3:15 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. “Injecting Multimedia into Your Business Journalism Class”—RMS 314—Jimmy Gentry

5 p.m. Adjourn

EVENING FREE

THURSDAY—Jan. 6, 2011

8 a.m. Continental breakfast —(Combined groups)—Forum

8:30 a.m. “Financial Statements I” —RM 355—Jimmy Gentry

10:45-11:00 a.m. Break

11 a.m. Continue“Financial Statements I” and “Securities and Exchange Commission Filings” —RM 355—Jimmy Gentry

NOON LUNCH — “What You Need to Know about Using Social Media in Business Journalism”—(Combined groups)—Robin J. Phillips—Forum

1:30 p.m. “Financial Statements II”—RM 355—Jimmy Gentry

3-3:15 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. Continue “Financial Statements II” and “Tools for Analysis: Common Size”—RM 355—Jimmy Gentry

5 p.m. Group photo —Forum

5:30 p.m. Dinner—(Combined groups)—Forum

FRIDAY—Jan. 7, 2011

8 a.m. Continental breakfast–-(Combined groups)—Forum

8:30 a.m. “What Editors Expect”—Room 355
Panel: Don Henninger (Phoenix Business Journal), Kathy Tulumello (Arizona Republic), Jodi Schneider

9:45-10 a.m. Break

10 a.m. “Finding Business in Every Beat” —RM 355—Jodi Schneider

11:30 a.m. Certificate Presentation —(Combined groups)—Forum

NOON Box Lunch/Adjourn —(Combined groups)—Forum

Questions? Contact Andrew Leckey, Reynolds Center president, at Andrew.Leckey@businessjournalism.org.or 602-496-9186.