VOICES is a rare opportunity for college students to develop multimedia and reporting skills in the company of industry professionals from all over the world. Just as newsrooms across the country are adjusting to smaller staffing and new technology, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) has redesigned its student convention program to simulate the convergence newsroom of tomorrow. This innovative opportunity trains students and professionals before and during the 2013 AAJA National Convention in New York from August 19-25.
AAJA will conduct a national search for a team of students and professionals to cover the convention this summer in one or more of the following areas: business/advertising, multimedia reporting in audio and video, web/print design and layout, photography, multimedia producing and copy editing.
The most promising students will be selected and given the opportunity to build skills and develop their portfolios. They will participate in pre-convention training that will include interactive online courses in interviewing, multimedia, ethics, and visual and audio techniques. Participants will also be given pre-convention assignments to cover issues related to the journalism industry and the Asian American Pacific Islander community today. Twenty applicants will be selected to cover convention, with travel and hotel accommodations provided.
The application for the 2013 VOICES project is now available. AAJA encourages all eligible college students to apply. The deadline to submit your completed application and supporting materials has been extended to Friday, May 10, 2013.
ELIGIBILTY
• Applicants must have a strong committment to AAJA’s mission.
• Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time college student or recent graduate (within one year) with a serious interest in pursuing journalism as a career.
• Applicants must be available from August 19-25, 2013 to be in New York, NY. There will be additional preparations during the summer.
• Applicants must be 18 years of age by August 19, 2013.
• Applicants must not be a former participant in any AAJA or alliance student projects.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Upload all materials to the online application as either Word documents or PDFs.
1) Completed 2013 VOICES online application with supporting materials.
2) Work samples of your best work (see below).
3) 500-word essay: It should be typed, double-spaced, 12pt font. Entries exceeding the word limit will be disqualified. Please respond to one of the following questions in your essay:
- Why do you want to be part of VOICES? What about you as an applicant will make the program shine?
- How do you think journalism will evolve in the next five years?
- What are your career aspirations and journalistic goals?
4) Transcript (official or unofficial).
5) One letter of recommendation from someone who is familiar with your academic and/or journalism work (professor, counselor, etc.).
6) Government-issued proof of age: photocopy of driver’s license or passport.
7) Résumé with the following information:
- One page listing your educational background, work history, awards, journalism-related internships, other scholarships, language proficiency and any work done for your school or community newspaper, radio and/or television.
- A list of all equipment and software programs that you have used and your level of proficiency (beginner, intermediate, advanced).
- Your ideal path in journalism, and what skills you want to learn to achieve your goals.
WORK SAMPLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
We prefer all work samples to be submitted online. Please upload all documents to the online application form in .doc or .pdf format. You can also submit links of your work – an option that may suit those who have slower internet connections.
Print: All articles, printouts and photography should be on 8.5 x 11” paper.
Online: Provide links to your pieces.
Radio: Provide links to your pieces on YouTube, Vimeo or other file sharing sites. Entries should not exceed 3 minutes.
Television: Upload to YouTube or Vimeo and provide the links. Entries should not exceed 3 minutes.
STEPS FOR APPLYING
- Log in or create a new account on AAJA online.
- Go to “Awards and Competitions” on your personal account page
- Then “View Open Competitions.”
- Then view “2013 VOICES.”
- Complete the application requirements by the deadline: May 10, 2013.
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