Between March 3rd through the 8th, The Captain’s Log ventured to New York City for the annual College Media Association (CMA) Conference. Editor-in-Chief Breanna Dorrian, News Editor Ellora Houchins, Arts & Entertainment Editor Sam Wolfe and Lifestyle Editor Claire Hall all took on NYC for a week full of learning and fun.
The conference officially started on March 4th and ended on March 7th. Each day had a variety of events to attend and everyone was able to make their own schedules and go to events that most interested them.
“My favorite part of the conference was listening to the keynote speaker from NPR, Doualy Xaykaothao, on Saturday. I’ve been listening to her radio for years, but hearing about the stories she uncovered during her project covering the Ukraine-Russian war moved me to genuine tears. She’s not just an incredibly brilliant and renowned individual in this field, but she also carries such an empathy and compassion for people and human life” said Dorrian.
I decided to learn something new and sit in on a few sessions involving photography. My favorite session I attended was a class on visual narratives in photography and how photos can tell stories. In this class, I learned how to take photos that stand out and are engaging in order to capture the audiences’ attention. Examples of this include looking for patterns in everyday life and contrasting colors when taking photos.
The Captain’s Log editors also gained insight into a variety of topics that fall into the media and journalism field.
“My favorite event was the session I attended on DEI which showed me how a lack of education can impact diversity, equity and inclusion. I found wonderful people from different schools whose papers were all experiencing different limitations and were able to handle them with grace and compassion alongside harm reduction” said Wolfe.
The event also gave all of our editors leadership experiences that will follow them in college and in their careers.
“Going to the CMA conference gave me a new perspective on leadership. I learned practical tips on preparing for the transition from coworker to boss, and what it really means to lead a newsroom. As I step into the role of Editor-in-Cheif next year, I feel more prepared to guide the team, expand our publication and work hard to fill the shoes of our current EIC” said Houchins.
When we weren’t attending these fun and engaging events, we were exploring New York City, a place that was unfamiliar to us. The city was busy, bustling with people from all over the world. Our hotel was centered right near Times Square as billboards lit up every block of the city. We used our down time to try a variety of restaurants in the area, including Yard House, Bagel to Sandwich, Legasa Bar & Grill, Anita La Mama del Gelato NYC and The Elgin.
On Saturday, our sessions ended early, and we set up a day to explore the city further. First, we went to a store in Soho called CutandCropped, a boutique that sells customizable Italian charm bracelets. Afterwards, we headed to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and looked at five floors of art separated by year. We got to see some very amazing and famous portraits such as ‘Starry Night’ by Van Gogh and ‘Water Lillies’ by Claude Monet.
Once Sunday hit, we were all ready to go home. While we enjoyed our time attending the conference and exploring the city, we were all very exhausted and ready to continue our slower-paced lives in Virginia. We are so grateful that we got to experience the CMA conference as well as learn valuable insights and skills that will carry us through our life.
