The Society of Professional Journalists is the official student governing body at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Student officers organize events for the class throughout the year, including lectures, panel discussions, social events and community service projects. Read about the various committees and committee leaders below.
Committees
Academic Affairs: The Academic Affairs Committee works with faculty and administration as well as students to identify ways in which the student experience could be improved at the J-school, both for existing and future classes.
Community Service: The Community Service Committee helps to identify and target potential populations outside the J-school that may be in need of assistance, and brings J-schools students together to lend a hand.
Events: The Events Committee helps plan off-campus events, including the Halloween Party, Lucille’s Ball and more. Current ideas include paintball excursions and a trivia night at a local watering hole.
Film/Documentary: The Film/Documentary Committee helps brainstorm ideas for film screenings, both journalism and non-journalism related, for the J-school community.
Fundraising/SWAG: The Fundraising Committee works closely with the treasurer to come up with creative ideas to raise money for SPJ. It is also in charge of organizing and executing fundraising events. Fundraising committee will choose the final two designs for the Columbia Journalism School hoodies and t-shirts (Spring).
Student Life: The Student Life Committee works to provide fun and creative events targeted at the student body to enjoy. Past projects include a stress-relief week (filled with massages and such) and pop-up food and drink stations.
Speakers: The Speakers Committee organizes monthly events in which speakers from within the industry join the J-School to discuss their careers, their lives, or anything else they’d like to talk about. Over the last few years, we’ve had a star-studded selection of speakers, including NY Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir and CNN host Anderson Cooper – and we’re hoping this year will be just as strong, if not stronger. The Speakers Committee also sets up tours of newsrooms and media outlets, discussion panels of recent (or not so recent) alumni, and any other speaker-related events the J-School calls for. We respond directly to requests from students and work together to try to get the speakers that CJS ’18 most wants to hear.