Council for Advancement and Support of Education gives Award of Excellence for environmental journalists conference materials
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) recognized the Society of Environmental Journalists' conference materials with an Award of Excellence at its recent CASE District III Conference in Atlanta, Ga. SEJ partnered with Virginia Tech, the university host for the 18th annual environmental journalist conference in October at Hotel Roanoke, to produce the promotional and program materials.
The award, which was for the category of Institutional Relations Projects, recognizes the SEJ conference materials for their “outstanding achievement in concept and execution of programs for institutional advancement.” Larry Hincker, associate vice president for university relations at Virginia Tech, said that “hosting the SEJ Conference was not only an honor for Virginia Tech and the Commonwealth of Virginia, but also a significant opportunity to showcase the robust environmental research programs throughout the campus. Because we had a wonderful partnership with SEJ I am not surprised that it led to award-winning work.”
SEJ executive director Beth Parke noted that “By all accounts SEJ’s 2008 Annual Conference, hosted by Virginia Tech, was one of our organization’s most successful meetings ever. The educational impact of this conference is still being felt, through the strengthened environmental journalism of SEJ members working in print, online, and broadcast media. The program and supporting materials have provided our attendees, and others who accessed them online, with a great source of inspiration, images, sources, and story ideas.”
SEJ’s annual conference manager Jay Letto and director of programs Chris Rigel teamed up with Virginia Tech’s designer Nathan Skreslet, editor Richard Lovegrove, and conference coordinator Lynn Davis of the College of Natural Resources, which was the lead college in the conference efforts. The college’s academic programs consistently rank among the nation’s best with studies in environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.
SEJ, the Society of Environmental Journalists, is the only North-American membership association of professional journalists dedicated to more and better coverage of environment-related issues. SEJ’s mission is to increase public understanding of environmental issues by improving the quality, accuracy, and visibility of environmental news reporting. As a grassroots educational group dedicated to the highest standards of public service journalism, SEJ is independent and nonpartisan. SEJ was founded in 1990 by award-winning print and broadcast journalists on staff with The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, National Geographic, Turner Broadcasting/CNN, Scripps Howard News Service, Minnesota Public Radio and others. SEJ’s membership is now comprised of 1,530 highly qualified journalists, editors, educators, and students working in print, broadcast, and online news media throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and 27 other countries.
Read the related story, “From the Appalachians to the Oceans: Virginia Tech, with CNR as lead partner, hosts Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Conference.”
