UC Association of Black Journalists: MY EXPERIENCE AT UNITY

Winter 2009

UCABJ 2009 Winter Quarter

FEBRUARY

21st

E-board meeting

27th

Postmarked deadline for the Ohio SPJ awards. See www.spjawards.org for the collegiate categories

MARCH

5th

General body meeting, 7 pm, Center for Community Engagement

6th

General body meeting, 8:30 am, TUC lobby

12th

General body meeting, 7 pm, Center for Community Engagement

13th

General body meeting, 8:30 am, TUC lobby

20th

Postmarked deadline for the Ohio SPJ awards. See www.spjawards.org for the collegiate categories

21st through 29th

Spring break! Be safe!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

MY EXPERIENCE AT UNITY

What seemed like forever came in an instant! UNITY 2008 was here. What others had said about UNITY was nothing that could possibly compare to what it really was. I met some of the best and brightest in the journalism field.

I went to many panel discussions and workshops that thought me a tremendous amount about topics. These are just a few: How to Deal With Your First Internships, AIDS Research and Violence In the Media.

Chicago was wonderful! It reminded of New York but not as intense. The people were friendly, and the food was GREAT! (That part is kind of important to me) The shopping was wonderful.

This UNITY trip also thought me many things about myself and the plans that I have for the upcoming year for UCABJ. For the first time ever I met people who were my "competition" and who inspired me at the same time.

-Alicia Gaynor
UCABJ President

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Biographies

2008-2009 EXECUTIVE BOARD:

Alicia Gaynor is the 2008-2009 president of the University of Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists, a collegiate affiliate of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Alicia transferred to UC in fall 2007 from Florida A&M University and promptly joined both UCABJ and the UC chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. During the 2007-2008 school year, she was the UCABJ's secretary and UC SPJ's treasurer. The Kingston, Jamaica native spent the 2008 spring quarter as a deejay for Bearcast, UC's student-run radio station, and is working toward a journalism degree with hopes of becoming a news anchor.

Geoffrey Dobbins is the vice president of the University of Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists. As a senior journalism student at the University of Cincinnati, Dobbins is trying to turn his passion for truth-telling into a career. Dobbins recently became a freelance contributor for Cincinnati Magazine after interning there as a web intern and fact checker. He has also written for the campus newspaper, The News Record, TheRoot.com and worked at The Cincinnati Herald, an African American newspaper. His areas of expertise include politics, religion and other topics enjoyed by impolite company.

After several years studying mechanical engineering at Wright State University, he became frustrated with the cold metal and wheels. His interest in language and social justice led him to change majors and he transferred to UC in January 2007. What’s the connection between the comic books he grew up reading and the news magazines he likes so much now? “They all have something to do with saving the world,” Dobbins says. “I’m still naïve like that, I guess.”

Zulekha Pitts is the secretary of the University of Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists.

2008-2009 ADVISERS:

Aiesha D. Little, associate editor for Cincinnati Magazine, is the professional adviser for the University of Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists. When she isn’t writing features and departments, assigning and editing the calendar section, and managing the editorial internship program for the magazine, she attends UCABJ’s executive board and general body meetings to help the group successfully execute its goals and objectives. Aiesha started her journalism career in newspapers before switching to magazines while pursuing a Master's degree at Xavier University. Her daily news work has appeared in The Saginaw (MI) News, The Detroit News, and The Poughkeepsie (NY) Journal.

Aiesha's involvement in NABJ goes back to her undergraduate years at Central Michigan University, when she first became a national member of the organization in 1995. She later co-founded the Minority Media Professionals Association, a student organization modeled after NABJ. During college, she also served as the diversity committee chair of CMU’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and has been a national member of SPJ since 1998.

Elissa Sonnenberg, MSEd, is an award-winning writer, editor, and educator, who currently serves as assistant director and field service assistant professor in the journalism program at the University of Cincinnati. She is the faculty adviser to the UC Association of Black Journalists.

After serving as editor of the independent student newspaper, The News Record, and graduating with honors from UC, Elissa spent two decades working as a writer and editor for both print and online publications. Specializing in feature writing and magazine narratives, her work has been published in Family Circle, American Baby, Mothering, PARADE, and Preservation. She has worked as a stringer for the Environmental News Network and Readers Digest.

After serving as an editor with Cincinnati Magazine’s custom publishing department for six years, she joined UC’s staff in 2006. A member of UC's Service Learning Committee, she also coordinates the journalism internship program. In addition, she organizes quarterly journalism-focused programming, including a symposium focusing on the role of journalism in the Civil Rights Movement. She received her Master's degree in education from Northwestern University.

Terron Austin is the immediate president of the University of Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists. His passion for broadcast journalism and magazine writing, with a focus in music, fashion and entertainment reporting, is the driving force behind his journalistic endeavors. He is currently the editorial assistant and style writer for CinWeekly, a free tabloid-size paper targeting readers ages 25 to 34.

A constant multitasker, Terron continues to develop his writing through freelance work for www.theclarksisters.com, the official Web site of notable Gospel music legends The Clark Sisters (Detroit, MI); Jazz Syndicate radio personality and soul music recording artist Darnell Kendricks (Detroit, MI); Berklee College of Music student and independent artist DeShawn Jenkins (Boston, MA); and a plethora of new voices in black music and entertainment. His work has also appeared in Cincinnati Wedding Magazine and UC’s independent student newspaper, The News Record.

UC Association of Black Journalists

Colleagues & Comrades

Winter 2009

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

MY EXPERIENCE AT UNITY

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