Lemke Journalism Department Celebrates Annual J-Days

The Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is hosting its annual J- Days celebration April 2-6. The week of activities feature alumni and other journalism professionals who are invited to campus to share their experiences
with current students.

Public events begin Monday, April 2, with Amy Schlesing, a Lemke alumni who has covered the war in Iraq for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, speaking to journalism students at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Kimpel Hall, room 209. All are invited.

Later that day a panel discussion of “Diversity in Journalism” will be held from 3-5 p.m. in the Multicultural Center of the Arkansas Union. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the discussion.

On Tuesday, April 3, Chris Freiberg, courts reporter for the Northwest Arkansas Times, will speak to a media law class at 11 a.m. in Kimpel Hall, room 209. Glen Chase, a recruiter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, will speak to students at 2 p.m. in Kimpel 119. There will be a sign-up sheet for students who wish to have interviews. Both talks are open to the public.

The student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will round out Tuesday’s events with a Social Media and WordPress Workshop, from 5-8 p.m. in JBHT 149, with dinner in the atrium afterwards. Derek Champagne and Christopher Spencer are the presenters.

Wednesday’s festivities include a Scholarship Awards Reception, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. Students receiving scholarships will be honored in the presence of their professors, parents and peers. The “J-Days class” will present a video about journalism graduates working in diverse fields, and winners of the “It’s a Date” auction and “J-Dayz: Catch Fire!” drawing will be announced. The reception is followed by the Roy Reed lecture at 7 p.m., featuring Susan Bennett, senior consultant to the Newseum.

Public events conclude on Thursday, April 5, with the annual Lemke Journalism Project awards ceremony. This is the eleventh year for the project, which brings high school students to the campus for six weeks to learn about journalism and write stories that are published in a special edition newspaper. All who are interested are invited to the reception, from 3-4:30 p.m. in Kimpel 111.

A full list of events can be found at jdays.uark.edu, or call the journalism office at (479) 575-3601 for more information.