Emma Carew Grovum

From today’s ThreeSixty alumni newsletter: 

“I believe a strong, connected alumni network is a show of good faith for donors. It’s a way that a nonprofit program, such as ThreeSixty Journalism, can show success.” 

Carew Grovum created the ThreeSixty Journalism Alumni Network Facebook group page in hopes to give current and past ThreeSixty students another way to stay connected to the program. 

More recently, we have used the Facebook page to organize efforts around the new ThreeSixty Sustainability Initiative; posting updates and opportunities to give back and stay involved.

It is also a way for alumni like you to stay connected and engage in positive ways to show support for individual achievements and our outstanding  commitment to the program. 

Along with many of the Alumni Network Facebook group members, Carew Grovum recognizes that an active and engaged alumni network is key to ThreeSixty’s future success.

(via Charting Tweets At #UNITY12 | The Daily Viz)

Fun fact: I was apparently the third most prolific tweeter during the UNITY conference last week! Thanks for crunching the numbers, Matt Stiles! 

This time next week, I’ll be on my way to Las Vegas for 5 days at the UNITY Journalists convention, a once-every-four-years joint conference among AAJA, NAHJ, NAJA and NLGJA. 

My first UNITY was in 2008 in Chicago — I was still a student, looking for my next big internship, and scared as hell. UNITY is a large event and can be incredibly overwhelming. 

So, with that in mind — here’s my two cents of advice to first-time convention goers:

* Talk to everyone—but be mindful of people’s time! If someone’s group of friends appears to be leaving them behind because they are still talking to you, exchange contact information and let them be on they’re way. On the flip side, if you’re a UNITY veteran and you meet a newbie who appears to not have arrived with an entourage, adopt him or her and introduce them to your crowd.

* Bring business cards, and lots of ‘em. Good places to pick them up for cheap are Vistaprint.com and Moo.com (the former is probably cheaper, though at this late date you’d have to pay rush shipping, I think; the latter creates beautiful photo-based cards and has integration with Facebook and can pull from your cover photos album to show) and pass them out like candy. Stay organized with the ones you receive. 

* Dress professionally! My mentor, Benet Wilson, created a group “What to Wear at NABJ” board on Pinterest, which is a great resource for UNITY-goers. She also has a “What Not To Wear” board for folks who aren’t real clear on the line between classy and not-so-classy falls. Also, it’s usually freezing in conference rooms despite the blazing heat outside. Layers are key.

* Follow up quickly. If you meet a new contact that you hope to stay in touch with, shoot them an email to thank them for their time or ask a follow up question. If you meet someone who gave you great advice, invested a lot of time with you or helped you make another great connection, send them a thank you card. Yes, a real, cardstock, in-the-physical-post-office-mail thank you card.

* Socialize! If you’re young or new to one of the alliance organizations, the best thing you can do is meet people who are leaders, movers and shakers. Get to know folks “off the clock” and become part of the fold. 

* Label your gear. A thousand tech-savvy and tech-dependent folks running around a small space for 5 days? Yeah, that’s a lot of iPads, iPhones and a sea of white chargers laying about. Put your name on yours. 

* Pack snacks. If you’re watching your budget, one of the fastest ways these conferences can get expensive is by eating at the convention center every day. UNITY in Chicago was sort of isolated and there weren’t a ton of off-site, walkable lunch options. Throw some almonds or granola bars in your bag so you aren’t 100% reliant on $12-a-plate cafeteria lunches.

* Share the wealth! Not everyone can attend UNITY and once you’re there no one can attend all of the great sessions they’d love to. If you’re in a great panel, consider blogging or tweeting some of the insights you pick up (and share on the #UNITY12 hashtag, of course). 

* Please, read this: How to Ask Questions at a Panel. It was floating around during SXSW this year and I hope we can apply it at UNITY. Ask questions at panels, contribute to the discussion, but please don’t waste people’s time by self-promoting or picking fights with the panelists.

— 

See you in Vegas!

Updated: 

Last fall I worked with alumni from my high school journalism program to raise nearly $500 to donate together at ThreeSixty’s annual fundraiser. It may not sound like much, but consider this money was raised from college students and recent grads. 

Below is an excerpt of the letter I sent around, encouraging my fellow alums to step up and start giving back in small ways. 

ThreeSixty has grown immensely over the past 10 years and I’ve been a proud alum, watching from the sidelines. Each year, a few more alumni trickle into college and choose journalism as their field. This is a program that is creating a new generation of diverse, multiplatform journalists.

Read on and considering making a sustaining gift to ThreeSixty Journalism. 

—-

When I saw my byline on the front page of the Star Tribune during the first week of my internship, my first thought was that I had to send a copy to Lynda and Nim. With a copy of the paper, I also included a note, telling them how they had helped me get there. I also included a check for $25.

Through the years, I have always tried to remember to celebrate my successes, both in school and in the early stages of my career, by giving back to ThreeSixty. I have always believed that I would not have been this successful or gotten any where near as far in my career if I had not taken that two-week summer camp 9 years ago.  

Sometimes, it’s just sending $15 or $20 a few times a year. Some years I’ve been in good enough financial position to give as much as $50 at a time. Other times, it’s been volunteering in the classroom or giving newsroom tours to new ThreeSixty students.

And as you celebrate milestones: getting into college, getting accepted into the journalism major, getting published for the first time, think about the role ThreeSixty played in helping you get to that milestone. Consider finding a few extra dollars to pledge to help the next generation of ThreeSixty students. Maybe it’s $25 on Martin Luther King day to honor this program, which works so hard to increase diversity in the news industry. Or maybe it’s pledging $5 a month (a total of $60 at the end of the year) for the entire year. Maybe then you’ll work up to $50 on the day you graduate high school or college. And $100 the day you accept your first job.

Small amounts add up over time. I started giving back to ThreeSixty as a young college student. I’m proud to make this small contribution to an organization that I truly believe in. In recent years, my small checks and donations have added up to several hundred dollars.

(via Armando Montaño, Former Chronicle Intern, Dies at 22 - News - The Chronicle of Higher Education)

This is the best tribute to Mando I’ve seen all day. Incredibly sad to see hear of his passing, even having never met him. Mando and I are loosely connected by way of the UNITY coalition of journalists and the Chips Quinn Scholars program, so my many social media feeds have been filled with the news of his death for the past 24 hours. 

I’m proud to see the Chron doing him justice here. The one time we did connect was to chat briefly over email about the Chronicle internship.