Sophie Schulz, a Wagner freshman from Moorhead, Minnesota, was one of 10 college students selected as correspondents for MediaFest22, the annual convention sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
More than 1,700 journalists, journalism educators and student journalists gathered in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 27 to 29 for MediaFest22, co-sponsored by the College Media Association and the Associated Collegiate Press.
SPJ covered Sophie’s registration fee, hotel accommodations and transportation costs. She and her fellow correspondents were assigned to cover selected presentations over three days of programming with topics ranging from war reporting, to disinformation and the decline of democracy, to the art of obituary writing.
Several of Sophie's stories were published in real-time on the SPJ News website: https://thespjnews.org/.
Renowned journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, famous for their coverage of the 1970s Watergate scandal, were among the convention’s keynote speakers.
Sophie’s passion for writing began in childhood. Last summer, before starting at Wagner, she completed a news internship at WDAY-TV in Fargo, North Dakota, where she learned about audience engagement.
“I worked alongside an anchor who taught me how to tell stories in ways others can grasp,” she said. “Writing is my main love, and everything in me strives to tell stories with equity, passion and thoughtfulness.”
She was encouraged to apply for the MediaFest correspondent program by Professor Claire Regan after meeting her during Admitted Students day last April and enrolling in JR321 Dying to Tell the Story this semester.
A member of the Wagnerian reporting staff, Sophie enjoyed sharpening her skills and networking with other student journalists at the SPJ convention. The experience helped confirm her decision to pursue a career in journalism.
Formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established in 1909 at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and today boasts a membership of 6,000.
Sophie and Claire at SPJ MediaFest22