Journalist group names UF national student chapter of the year

August 25, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Society of Professional Journalists has named its University of Florida student chapter the Outstanding Campus Chapter of the Year.

SPJ will present the honor Friday at its annual convention in Indianapolis during the Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon to chapter President April Dudash, a journalism senior at UF’s College of Journalism and Communications.

“Since our SPJ chapter is part of a prestigious journalism college at a larger university, we automatically deal with a talented pool of students every semester,” Dudash said. “Our goal is to provide UF students with as many opportunities as possible to grow as journalists.”

The chapter offers monthly programs on such topics as the First Amendment and journalism ethics. It also invites professionals to speak to students about their experience and the state of the industry.

“Our SPJ chapter is more than a sum of its parts,” said its adviser, Mike Foley, master lecturer in the college and former executive editor of the St. Petersburg Times. “The chapter leaders, especially April, are engaged, enthusiastic and welcoming. They understand and help others understand the worth of this organization. And they never forget its commitment and dedication to the craft and mission of good journalism.”

UF beat out 11 other regional winners, including the University of Missouri and the University of Texas, Austin. In an SPJ news release, Neil Ralston, the organization’s vice president for campus chapter affairs, called the UF chapter a “model with a lot of quality programming, involvement at the regional and national levels, and some stunning success in recruitment and retention.”

The college is a national leader in the professional education of future journalists and other communication practitioners.