Become a Sponsor

Seattle University regularly invites news organizations to participate in its summer workshop designed to recruit high school students into the filed of journalism. The involvement of professional news organizations is crucial to the workshop's success and news organizations can participate in a variety of ways: 

• Contribute general funds to operate the workshop. 
• Offer a college scholarship of $250, $500, $1,000 or more to be given to a workshop student. 
• Allow journalists to take time off work to lecture on their area of expertise. 
• Assign/appoint a reporter/photographer/graphic designer/editor to help staff the workshop. This is one of the most important elements since each staff member will work with two or three students to produce a story that would be published by that staff member's news organization. 
• Contribute $2,000 to operate the workshop and assign a journalist. 
• Publish the students' stories/photographs/graphics.

Currently, Seattle University's Communication Department and the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Inc. provide most of this prestigious workshop's funding. There are many reasons why news organizations may want to help sponsor the Journalism Summer Workshop, including:

• Promote the recruiting and training of talented journalists, whether they go into print, broadcast, or online journalism. 
• Connect to a program that annually identifies high school juniors and seniors in Washington who are interested in journalism. 
• Mentor students in an academic setting that encourages both professional skills and critical thinking. 
• Publish journalism work created by students. 
• Identify potential summer interns and future employees who represent diverse cultures and communities.

Seattle University's Journalism Summer Workshop begins every year at the end of June when most high schools close and operates for a week to 10 days. The workshop - on-campus housing, meals, supplies, outings and use of classroom and computer labs - is free to participating students. In past years applicants have come from virtually every high school in the Puget Sound area and several high schools in Eastern Washington. Depending on funding and how the workshop is configured, 15 to 20 students are selected every year.

Workshop participants consistently have come from strong academic backgrounds and passionate high school journalism programs. Their diligence is evident in the work they have produced.

Seattle University's Journalism Summer Workshop is directed by Tomas Guillen, a Professor in the Communication Department who teaches writing and reporting courses. Before joining Seattle University, he worked as a reporter for twenty years at several major daily newspapers. He also is the author of three books. His professional and academic background can by found at: http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/tomasg/.

The Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Inc. helps sponsor high school journalism workshops nationwide. For information about Dow Jones' sponsorship contact Richard Holden at 609-520-5927 or Linda Shockley at 609-520-5929. Or visit their web site at: www.dowjones.com/newsfund/hsstud.html.

Please contact Prof. Tomas Guillen if you are interested in the program or have questions. Seattle University begins planning its workshop in September and needs to hear from potential supporters early. Prof. Guillen can be reached at tomasg@seattleu.edu.