Electives

Below are the SMI ’21 virtual electives. We will update the page shortly with the electives for the 2022 in-person program.

“Alternative Careers for Journalists” – Journalism Advisory Council

Career Development

Learn how to apply journalism skills to writing or editing nonprofit, association of university-related magazines; specialized (health, science, environmental) writing for nonprofits.

“Authentic Leadership” — Mira Lowe, Erin Cigich, Karen Irwin and Annelie Schmittel

Career Development

A panel of media professionals discusses authentic leadership at a “Becoming a Woman of Influence” conference hosted by the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

“Beyond Blocks of Text” — Joe Humphrey

Design

Big blocks of text are not the only way to tell a story. In this session, we will examine alternative story forms and discuss story packaging techniques.

“Careers in Local TV News” – Mike Goldrick and Stephanie Linton

Career Development

Discover how you can begin planning for a career in local TV news.

“Careers in Sports Communication” – Eric Esterline

Sports

Learn about different career paths associated with sports communication including print journalism, media relations and more.

“Covering Live Sports” – Dr. Roxane Coche

Sports

Prepare yourself to cover live sports efficiently and accurately. Ensure you know how to create different writing plans for when covering live sports and learn the tricks to live tweeting sports.

“Developing Interviewing Skills”  – Eric Esterline

Reporting

Discover practical ways to improve your interviewing skills while covering sports stories.

“Developing Professional Presence and Relationships” — Office of Careers and Corporate Partnerships

Career Development

Learn the purpose and power of developing professional relationships, explore your own professional network and consider how mentoring could kick-start your career.

“Developing Your Portfolio” – Office of Careers and Corporate Partnerships

Career Development

Learn how to develop your portfolio and showcase your work. Consider what should go in your own portfolio and explore two possible ways to create one.

“Doing Stories That Matter” – John Woodrow Cox, Alejandra Cancino and Rachel Axon

Reporting

How to find, report and write stories that make a difference.

“Event Management” – Eric Esterline

Sports

Walk through the ins and outs of sports event management – from identifying key media members to scheduling press.

“Evidence” — Dr. Kim Walsh-Childers

Reporting

Part two of the solutions journalism series: How to know if your solution is proving to be effective and how to compare it to what’s working.

“From Newsrooms to Courtrooms” – Mark Caramanica and Chuck Tobin

Career Development

Media lawyers Mark Caramanica and Chuck Tobin show how a journalist’s training can serve them well in the field of law.

“Home Studio Hacks” – Journalism Advisory Council

Reporting

Journalists Bridget Carey and Mary Shedden show you how to look and sound good on audio or video at home. Whether recording an interview over Zoom or capturing a news event by yourself, here are basic tips for recording yourself and your sources like a pro and on a budget.

“InDesign Lifesavers” — Joe Humphrey

Design

This tutorial will walk InDesign users through a variety of tools aimed at streamlining production such as libraries, style sheets, master pages and more.

“Interviewing for Solutions Journalism Stories” — Dr. Kim Walsh-Childers

Reporting

Part three of the solutions journalism series: Learn how to vet your sources and ask the right questions in solutions journalism.

“Intro to Social Media for Reporting” – Dr. Roxane Coche

Social Media

Learn why social media is an invaluable tool in sports reporting. Learn how social media can make your reporting better and your relationship with your readers stronger.

“Introducing Sport Public Relations” –  Eric Esterline

Sports

Learn what it means to work in sport public relations. Explore different communications-based activities and the fundamental characteristics of this field.

“Introduction to Media Relations in Sport” – Eric Esterline

Sports

Get a glimpse into the world of sports media relations, including how the rapidly changing digital landscape is impacting the field.

“Life After High School” – Liandra Larsen

Career Development

Get a glimpse into what you can expect in post-grad life.

“News Tech Careers” – Melissa Young, Danny Sanchez and Ashley Ross

Career Development

Whether a developer tinkering with a government API, an audience analyst deciphering what makes subscribers tick, or a product manager crafting a site’s launch strategy – or all three – learn how to kickstart your career in the media industry’s many tech-focused roles.

“Personal Branding” – Liandra Larsen

Career Development

Explore what makes you unique and learn how to articulate these traits and skills to an employer. Gain tools for networking and accurately portraying your online brand.

“Photoillustations” – John Freeman

Photojournalism

See how photoillustrations serve to supplement and enhance journalistic storytelling.

“Producing and Writing Sports Content for the Web” – Eric Esterline

Sports

Dive into how you can produce and write your sports content for an online format.

“Publications with Pop” — Joe Humphrey

Design

What does it take to create award-winning, trend-setting newspapers, newsmagazines and yearbooks? We will explore criteria used by judges who assess publications and look at examples of high-performing publications.

“Publicity Campaigns” – Eric Esterline

Sports

Run through the different factors you should consider when running a sports publicity campaign.

“Ranked Lists” – Dr. Roxane Coche

Sports

Learn about ranked lists, a popular format for online sports stories. Get to know how to create one of these lists, and how to make yours stand out.

“Resumes, Internships and More!” — Liandra Larsen

Career Development

Learn everything you need to know to prepare for an interview, from what to wear to how to edit your resume.

“Social Media & Social Change” – Liandra Larsen

Social Media

Discover how social media has influenced social justice and social change movements throughout history and in current times.

“Social Media and Technology” – Eric Esterline

Social Media

See how social media technology has reshaped the sports media industry.

“Stand-Out Resumes” – Office of Careers and Corporate Partnerships

Career Development

Discover the steps to make a professional resume. Learn how to stand out in an applicant pool and make a strong first impression.

“The Media” – Eric Esterline

Career Development

Learn about the broad scope of mass media – from print to broadcast to social media.

“Using the Internet in Sports PR and Creating Promotional Media Guides”  – Eric Esterline

Sports

Discover how the internet can be a tool in sports PR. Also, learn how to create a media guide, a highly used tool in the industry.

“Why Study Data Journalism for Sports Reporting” – Dr. Roxane Coche

Sports

Learn about why data journalism is important for sports reporters to study. Also, familiarize yourself with the reasons why reporting sports data is different from other areas.

“Writing for the Web: Parts I and II” – Dr. Roxane Coche

Sports

Review the goals and functions of a journalist and learn how to structure a story to get the most impact. Learn also the mechanics of online sports reporting as well as the basics for writing a sports story, including learning about the team, knowing the rules of the sport and more.

“Your Brand Story” – Jasmine Johnson

Career Development

Brand strategist Jasmine Johnson offers tips for creating your personal brand story at a “Becoming a Woman of Influence” conference hosted by the UF College of Journalism and Communications.