SPJ’s Spring Conferences are day-long professional development meetings bringing area journalists, students and journalism educators together in one place to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from improving writing to leveraging technology in today’s new media climate. Enhance yourself and your journalism career by attending a Spring Conference in your area. Get available details — including dates, locations and contacts — for all 12 regions by clicking here.

March 23, 2012:
— Region 1: Stony Brook, N.Y.
— Region 3: Gainesville, Fla.
— Region 4: Lansing, Mich.
— Region 8: Fort Worth, Texas

March 30:
— Region 2: Elon, N.C.
— Region 6: Bloomington, Minn.
— Region 7: Ames, Iowa
— Region 10: Tacoma, Wash.
— Region 11: Universal City, Calif.
— Region 12: Lafayette, La.

April 13:
— Region 5: Indianapolis, Ind.
— Region 9: Denver, Colo.

Tune in Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 1 p.m Eastern when the next broadcast of Studio SPJ will feature a talk with the author of a new book on the assassination of Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey.

Our guest will be Thomas Peele, an investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group, whose new book is titled, "Killing the Messenger — A Story of Radical Faith, Racism's Backlash, and the Assassination of a Journalist.

Bailey, the editor of the Oakland Post, was shot to death on Aug. 2, 2007 as he walked to work. The book tells the story of Bailey's murder, the history of the Black Muslim movement, and the Oakland cult to which his killers belonged.

Visit this page [opens in a new window] to listen to this archived episode, or use the player in the bottom toolbar to listen in.

Additional episodes are available in the archive:
– Studio SPJ with Thomas Peele - Feb 29,2012
– Your SPJ Membership: Chat with the J-Ed Committee Chair - Feb 09,2012
– Your SPJ Membership: Quill Celebrates 100 Years - Jan 12,2012
– The Ethics of Freelancing - Dec 19,2011
– Your SPJ Membership: Update from the President - Dec 08,2011

The January/February 2012 issue of Quill is now online. Stories include:

– Egyptian Press Struggles For Its Own Revolution
– From the President
– Quill at 100
– For Love of Community
– Reflections from Wheat Country
– 10 from Ten
– Member Profile - Austin Kiplinger
– Global Toolbox
– Education Toolbox
– Diversity Toolbox

To see all stories, follow this link.

You prepared for four years (or more) and now you're working 40 hours a week (or more) as a professional journalist.

You’ve graduated from college and been working professionally for no more than three years, and now you’re looking for the keys to a successful, long-term journalism career. You will find a good start at the SPJ Reporters Institute this summer in St. Petersburg, Fla.

— More Information
— The Program
— For the Bosses
— Apply Online

Excellence in Journalism 2012 Scholarships and Fellowships: Apply by June 11

Terry Harper Memorial Scholarships: Terry Harper passed away in 2009 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. In honor of Terry’s efforts to improve SPJ and the entire journalism community, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation set up a memorial fund following his death. With a generous outpouring of support, the Society can now proudly provide up to five scholarships to SPJ members to attend its annual convention. Applications due June 11, 2012.

Diversity Leadership Fellows Program: As we face the many challenges of an evolving industry, strengthening SPJ’s diversity efforts is more important than ever. The goal of the Diversity Leadership Fellows program, ultimately, is to increase the diversity participation of SPJ members within national committees and on the national board of directors. As part of the program, we bring fellowship recipients to the convention to begin a year-long immersion and education program. Applications due June 11, 2012.

Robert D.G. Lewis First Amendment Award: From the generosity of the Lewis family, the award is given each year to a student SPJ member who has demonstrated outstanding service to the First Amendment through the field of journalism. The award assists a student with his/her attendance to SPJ's annual convention. Applications due June 11, 2012.

The Society of Professional Journalists is seeking 12 interns for The Working Press, a daily tabloid newspaper and online news site, that will cover the Excellence in Journalism 2012 conference. Collegiate student reporters, editors, photographers and designers are invited to apply for these select positions.

This year’s conference is set for September 20-22 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Selected interns will need to arrive in Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday, September 19 and attend a mandatory 2 p.m. staff meeting. The internship ends Sunday, September 23 at Noon.

For SPJ student and professional chapters to be successful, they must do the right thing in the right way. The Ted Scripps Leadership Institute helps participants learn how to do just that by offering a mix of sessions focused on interpersonal and organizational leadership skills, as well as sound chapter management practices. Read all about the 2011 program, and apply by the end of day March 15 to participate.

— Program Home
— Schedule
— 2011 Highlights

Studio SPJ is a series of half-hour Internet radio programs devoted to journalists talking on topics of interest to other journalists. Guests will include authors and newsmakers. This companion blog will serve as your guide, and we will also use this space to celebrate and promote the best and most creative programs SPJ chapters are offering their members.

Latest entries:

– A conversation with Thomas Peele
– More ethics training needed
– The Ethics of Freelancing
– Discussing the Occupy arrests of journalists
– Studio SPJ: National Practitioners Data Bank