How to support A&M journalism: Connect, advise

My views on the best way to help out journalism at A&M change from time to time, so here's my latest take. Often, I base my opinions on new information and feedback -- please share yours with me!

The latest big change: I think Journalism Studies and A&M have taken a great step in hiring Dale Rice, a writer and editor with 30 years' experience in Texas journalism. He is enthusiastic about teaching rigorous classes and getting students ready for the real world.

Here are the most important things I think former students can do right now:

• Connect with each other, keep in touch and informed about the program
• Connect with current students, offering them friendship and advice if possible
• Support the Journalism Studies program with your interest, spread the word about it and if possible actually drop by campus to speak to a class, talk to students at the Batt or even teach for a week as a Journalist-in-Residence. (FJSA officers can help set any of these up.)

Luckily, all this is easier now than ever before. Subscribe to this blog (of course I was gonna say that!), join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups, stay in contact with your buddies and get to know some of the current students. Come to the Fall Reception (Oct. 11 this year), meet more folks, catch up, and consider getting more involved in FJSA.

If we have an active former student network, then we can get together and react when there is an opening or a new challenge. If you've been introduced to a current student, you can easily give them a little support or advice via e-mail or a Facebook message. These little things add up. The stronger our journalism graduates, the better the reputation of A&M's journalism program, and that's a foundation that can be built on.

: ) Sue Owen Whaley '94, president, FJSA