The Sam Houston State University chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) had very few members the last three years due to its lack of promotion. Now, the NAHJ chapter is back and ready to pick up where it left off.
The organization is designed to help aspiring Hispanic journalists. Junior Mass Communication major and president of the organization Julissa Garza looks forward to what is to come this semester.
“During the meetings I am hoping that people will learn more things [they have] to benefit from NAHJ: meeting new people, to learn, to grow, to network,” Garza said.
Before Garza was president of NAHJ, she was interested in joining the organization but did not know how because it had not been promoted around campus; Garza felt that it was time to change this.
“I looked up orglink and found out that LeeAn Muns was the advisor and talked to her about joining the organization,” Garza said. “She connected me to the president, and with her graduating this spring, she decided to step down and hand over the organization to me, and I was honored.”
Garza and her vice president, Lisette Hernandez, are now ready for a major turnaround. Their goal is to promote the organization by hanging flyers around campus.
Joining NAHJ provides scholarships, internships and tours of actual news stations. One of the opportunities NAHJ has to offer is a trip: every year they attend a convention in a different state. In 2016, NAHJ had a joint convention with NABJ (National Associate of Black Journalists) in Washington where Hillary Clinton was one of the speakers. Upon attending the conventions, NAHJ members will receive international training, high career profile expo by making connections and networking and professional development. Members may also meet journalists and listen to their stories about how they became the journalists they are today.
This year’s convention is in Miami and will be held July 18-21. For those interested in joining, NAHJ’s interest meeting will be in the Dan Rather Communications Building March 26.
