From Feb. 26 to 28, three student managers at the Muleskinner, faculty advisor Dr. Lewis and I traveled to New York City to attend the College Media Associaton’s 2025 ProCon conference. In years past, only the editor in chief and faculty advisor have attended this conference, so it was exciting to extend this opportunity to more of our excellent student journalists. 

  While waking up at 2 a.m. to drive to the airport was exhausting, the trip was easily worth it. Although we did not end up winning any awards in the national competition, we grew in our careers as journalists. One of my favorite parts of the trip was when a professional in the industry critiqued our paper, as it gave me a clear idea of what we can do better to improve our coverage and serve our community. I also enjoyed attending learning sessions with my coworkers, where we learned how to request public information, write grants, use eye-tracking data to design our paper, and more. 

  The conference also gave us an opportunity to learn from and network with media professionals. The keynote speakers were successful fashion journalists Aiyana Ishmael, an associate editor for Teen Vogue, and Ashley Ballard, the creative director of Closet Vomit. Hearing their advice was particularly inspiring, as they were a few steps ahead of us in their careers. As a former sociology student, I also enjoyed their analysis of the role that clothes play in our culture and lives.

  In my career, I am still deciding the direction I want to go. I am not sure if journalism will be my ultimate destination, but I am undoubtedly grateful to be part of this field at this time in my life. In the day-to-day grind, I sometimes lose sight of my purpose as a journalist, but this conference helped remind me of my values. To be surrounded by people who are driven by justice and the truth, for the sake of public good, is truly a gift. 

  Along with the conference itself, the opportunity to experience New York City was extremely valuable. The hustle and bustle of the city is very different from the Midwest, and I believe it is important for students to experience different environments so they can better understand others’ lives and consider options for their own futures.

  In all, the conference and the city were wonderful. But the best part of the trip was that our team experienced it together.