Tufts Journalism Society hosts inaugural reception at Newsweek offices

(L to R) Myah Evers Schwartz, J99 (co-president of TJS), with panelists Dave Meyers, A96, Jason Samuels, A92, Pat Healey, A93, and panel moderator, Julie Dobrow, director of Communications and Media Studies

(L to R) Janet Robertson J78, Ken Aidekman, A75, and Judith Bass, J73

October 9, 2007--The Tufts Journalism Society (TJS) is off to a promising start after a well-attended inaugural reception on September 24 in New York City.

Close to 50 Jumbos came together at Newsweek's offices to hear alumni with distinguished careers in media share their perspectives on how the press is – and isn’t - covering the 2008 presidential elections.

Alumni panelists were Dave Meyers, A96, managing editor of Roll Call, Patrick Healy, A93, reporter for The New York Times, and Jason Samuels, A92, senior producer with ABC News.

Meyers and Myah Evers Schwartz, J99, student leaders for TheTufts Daily and Tufts Observer, respectively, are TJS founders and co-presidents. They saw the opportunity to create a journalism chapter for the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA) through which alumni who took part in campus media or have gone on to careers in journalism can reconnect, network, and share their experiences with current students.

In addition to planning events, they have also launched a website (tufts.edu/alumni/chapter/tjs) and a Facebook page.

“By uniting alumni from the various campus media outlets under one umbrella, we hope to offer fellow Jumbos new resources for both social and professional networking,” said Meyers, also a member of the Executive Committee of TUAA. “The New York event was a resounding success, and we look forward to replicating it in other cities across the country.”

The event began with refreshments and appetizers, which were followed by the panel discussion, with Julie Dobrow, director of Communications and Media Studies at Tufts, as moderator.

The panelists shared views on topics that included what makes a good story, a lack of diversity in the media, the impact of new technology on media coverage, and the ethics of the media in U.S. politics.

The event was co-sponsored by the Department of Communications and Media Studies and the New York Tufts Alliance, a chapter of TUAA.

The Journalism Society is one of several Special Interest Groups, or SIGS, supported by TUAA. To find out more, visit the Tufts Journalism Society website, or email David_Meyers@alumni.tufts.edu or myah@mba.berkeley.edu.