Categories
Front Page

In-person TCCJ Workshop Returns, Fills in Record Time

Monday, November 8, 2021

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — The Texas Center for Community Journalism (TCCJ), based at Tarleton State University, is again offering face-to-face sessions with community journalists throughout the state.

The Nov. 18 “Eye on Design” workshop maxed out within 24 hours, a TCCJ record, according to Director Austin Lewter.

“To me, it’s just proof positive that we are doing work that is needed,” said Lewter, a communication studies Instructor. “Because of the pandemic, we placed workshops on hold and worked through virtual means. I think people are excited about being back in person.”

Newspaper veterans Broc Sears, Robert Bohler and Lewter will lead the design workshop in the Texan News Service newsroom on the Stephenville campus. The workshop encompasses an array of digital and print concepts geared to give attendees tools to take back to their newsrooms and use immediately.

Lewter and Bohler have taken writing workshops to community newsrooms over the last couple of months. In Snyder they worked with writers from three Texas papers. Future workshops will be in Ozona and Atlanta, Texas.

Recently, Lewter spoke with students at the Texas A&M College of Law on “The Sustainability of Local News.”

“It was a wonderful time,” he said. “The media law students were genuinely interested in the future of local news. It was inspiring.”

TCCJ’s spring workshops will include a Newspaper Management Bootcamp and a Community News Symposium. Details will be posted on the TCCJ Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/communityjournalism.

The Texas Center for Community Journalism moved to Tarleton in 2020 and partners with the nonprofit Texas Newspaper Foundation to invest in sustainable community journalism. Founded in 2009 at TCU, it provides training and professional development, industry networking and support for almost 400 small-town news outlets.

A founding member of The Texas A&M University System, Tarleton transforms generations by inspiring discovery, leadership and inclusion through teaching and research. Degree programs for more than 14,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, at RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online emphasize real-world learning that addresses regional needs while sustaining the values of excellence, integrity and respect.

By Austin Lewter

Austin Lewter was named Director of the Texas Center for Community Journalsim in September 2021. He is an Instructor of Journalism and Broadcast at Tarleton State University where he also serves as the faculty advisor of the Texan News Service.
Lewter’s career, prior to education, included newspaper leadership rolls at numerous community papers across North and East Texas.
He holds a BA from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and an MA from Stephen F. Austin State University.