REFRESH AND RECHARGE AT OUR SAN DIEGO GETAWAY
ACP SPRING NATIONAL COLLEGE MEDIA CONFERENCE
March 7-9, 2024 • La Jolla, California, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla At Aventine
> Download the conference program.
> Registration is open.
> Book rooms at the overflow hotel, the San Diego Marriott La Jolla,
about a half mile from the Hyatt Regency.
Boost your publication — and your skills — with the training you need
More than 150 sessions from experienced journalists and advisers
Keynote speaker
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, educator, author, higher education equity consultant and public relations expert with more than two decades of experience. Throughout her career she has worked as a television news anchor, reporter and producer in markets across the country, in addition to producing branded video content and public relations and communication strategies for various companies.
Currently she is a tenured journalism professor at Santa Monica College and a faculty adviser for The Corsair, SMC’s student-run newspaper. Under her leadership as faculty advisor, The Corsair Newspaper has won numerous national awards, including several Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker awards, known as the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.
In addition to her work in higher education, Ashanti serves as the first Black female president of Society of Professional Journalists board of directors.
Ashanti will be the Thursday keynote speaker.
Washington Post sports columnist
to keynote spring conference
Jerry Brewer is a sports columnist at The Washington Post. He joined The Post in 2015 after more than eight years as a columnist with the Seattle Times. During his career, he also has worked at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, The Orlando Sentinel and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
He approaches sports journalism with a mantra: “The game is not the story. The game is a platform to tell a story.” Through sports, Brewer chronicles the ups and downs, virtues and flaws, of humans whose lives play out before thousands of fans. He sees sports as riveting to the imagination and enlivened by the zany and unpredictable behavior of regular people who stumble into iconic status. But he cares mostly about affecting a community through his work, through powerful storytelling or poignant, frank opinions.
His work has been honored by Associated Press Sports Editors and the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors.
Advertising & marketing speaker
Kathy Simon
Central Michigan
Past speaker
Tamara Zellars Buck
Southeast Missouri State
Past speaker
Gary Metzker
Cal State Long Beach
Past keynote speaker
Samantha Melbourneweaver
AME for audience / Los Angeles Times
ADVERTISING
SALES & MARKETING
STAFF RECRUITMENT
SPORTS REPORTING
LEADERSHIP
REPORTING & EDITING
ACROSS PLATFORMS
DIGITAL STORYTELLING
VISUALS & DESIGN
MAGAZINE
CONTENT & EDITING
YEARBOOK
PLANNING & TRAINING
SOCIAL JUSTICE
REPORTING & INCLUSION
RETOOLED PRINT PRODUCTS, PDFs & NEWSLETTERS
ACP Spring National
College Media Conference
Registration
$149 early bird, by Feb. 16
$169 starting Feb. 17
Hotel & conference site
The conference site and hotel, the Hyatt Regency La Jolla At Aventine, is full. Book rooms at the overflow hotel, the San Diego Marriott La Jolla, which about a half mile from the Hyatt.
Sponsor and exhibit
at the conference
Connect with decision-makers in collegiate journalism — and gain visibility for your organization in collegiate media.
ACP returns to San Diego
and to beautiful La Jolla
It’s one of our favorite sites for one of our best conferences — and a welcome destination in the spring.
This conference brings together collegiate journalists and advisers from across California and across the nation, with helpful sessions, critiques, advice and feedback.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 7, with breakout sessions starting at 10 a.m. The conference concludes on Saturday, March 9, with awards ceremonies at 3, 5 and 6:30 p.m.
> Tentative schedule > Register for the conference
Our sessions focus on topics you need
From advertising and marketing to reporting across platforms, our breakout sessions will tackle the topics that you need — for your publication, your staff, your readers and your career.
We’ll include the fundamentals and then focus on the latest trends in the fast-changing environment of collegiate journalism and media.
Leading our dozens of sessions will be experienced journalism professionals and award-winning advisers — speakers whose expertise can help you at your skill level.
We’re planning a much-needed boost to conclude the academic year and prepare you for what’s ahead.
We also welcome your ideas for session topics at the ACP spring conference.
> Submit a session proposal > Email your ideas for a session topic
Join us to celebrate your success
ACP will announce its top national awards, the Pacemakers, in business, online and yearbook, as well as its Individual Awards in business and advertising.
The conference also celebrates the top collegiate work among California colleges and universities, with the year’s CCMA and JACC award winners.
ADVERTISING SALES
& MARKETING TRACK
Put our sales & marketing track
to work for you
Take your sales team to the next level with sessions in our sales and marketing track:
Every second counts:
Working with the modern account executive’s work/life balance
Branding, marketing and monetizing your media company
Molding good talent into dynamic account executives and managers — from Week 1 to graduation
12 sponsored social posts in 12 minutes
Our sales & marketing presenters include
Jon Schlitt
Mustang Media Group, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Kathy Simon
Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University
Get helpful advice
from a critique
Our on-site media critiques are one of the most popular features of the convention, with common-sense suggestions for improvement.
Enter Best of Show
for the conference
Celebrate this year’s work through the ACP Best of Show competition, with both Individual Recognition and Staff Recognition categories — now open for submission.
And rally your staff to vote for our People’s Choice Awards on Friday afternoon.