Free Community Journalism Course
SCCC Offers Free Certificate to Train Community Journalists
Want to make a difference in your hometown through the power of journalism? Sussex County Community College is once again giving local residents the opportunity to learn how to report the stories, issues and people that matter most to their communities—at no cost.
The stories happening in our own backyards deserve to be told—and SCCC is helping local residents learn how to tell them. For the fourth time, SCCC has received a grant to offer its free Becoming a Community Journalist certificate, providing participants with the skills to cover community-centered news in their hometowns and across Sussex County.
The grant is from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and designed with input from the Journalism + Design department at the New School. The certificate—Becoming a Community Journalist—will be offered at SCCC during the fall semester, from October 27 through December 15.
The program offers a hands-on look at how journalism works. Participants will learn how to identify and understand local issues affecting their communities, report important stories and connect with publishers looking for timely news and fresh ideas to share with their readers and listeners.
Prof. Cheryl Conway will return as the in-person instructor of the certificate course. Conway teaches Journalism I and II at SCCC and has decades of experience as a reporter and editor for community newspapers and magazines, as well as publisher of her online publication in her hometown.
Conway said, “I want participants to start thinking like journalists—to ask questions, understand what is happening in their communities and effectively engage with their neighbors and local government. Our goal is to help them become more civically active, connect with the community media ecosystem and build the confidence and skills they need to become published writers.”
Nancy Gallo, director of the Center for Lifelong Learning, wrote the grant application on behalf of SCCC and the Center and previously worked as a community reporter covering events in her hometown. As the grant administrator, Gallo said, “We are so appreciative to the New Jersey Council for the Humanities for choosing SCCC as a worthy recipient of this grant.” SCCC was one of only four community colleges statewide chosen to participate.
“We want to train local citizens on how to write news articles and be part of the democratic system of providing information that leads to informed citizens and decisions.”
“This grant promises to have far-reaching and long-term benefits for our county and its citizens,” Gallo added. “The certificate is designed to teach journalism skills and design practices for anyone in greater Sussex County who wants to share stories and information that their communities need to thrive.”
The certificate will be offered in person beginning October 27. The in-person workshops will meet 8 consecutive Tuesdays on the SCCC campus from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. All participants should be computer-savvy and have access to the internet and email. Students will be expected to type their assignments and be able to turn them in using the provided Canvas portal.
To register, email Tiffany Spear, Assistant Academic Affairs Coordinator, at tspear@sussex.edu and she will assist you with registration. Space is limited and seats are filling quickly, so please contact Tiffany today to reserve your spot!
