The DePaul chapter of the Society of ProfessionalJournalists
To the current and future members of DePaul SPJ/ONA:
In August, DePaul SPJ social media coordinator Rachel Hinton and I had the honor of attending the Region 5 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute. There, we learned the fundamentals of what makes a good leader and how we can continue improving our chapter.
During one of the seminars we were asked to reflect on positive leadership qualities and think about them in the context of this quote: “Weakness fixing might prevent failure, but strength building leads to excellence. Focus on strength, and manage around weaknesses.”
The DePaul SPJ chapter has many positive attributes, and this year our board is looking at ways we can build on them.
In the 2014-2015 year our programs included hosting a panel of some of the best war correspondents in the field so students could hear about their experiences. We held networking sessions, had an event where students could get free, professional headshots taken and hosted a workshop where we learned about the benefits of the Freedom of Information Act.
The DePaul SPJ chapter has built strong ties within Chicago’s journalism community and within our own student body. But our board understands we can do more and have set a series of goals for the upcoming school year.
This year members will see a more consistent online presence through our website and on our social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We also understand how crucial it is for the DePaul SPJ chapter to be connected with other on campus journalism organizations. We will be making strides to build those relationships so we can act as a resource for members within those organizations.
And finally, we will be offering varied programs; some we hope are suggested by you, the members. While the board makes many decisions within the DePaul SPJ chapter, we rely on all of our members for creativity and initiative.
Thank you for your dedication to SPJ, and I’m looking forward to an excellent year.
Sincerely, Marc Filippino Society of Professional Journalists DePaul, President
DePaul University Society of Professional Journalists 