The University Information Office (UIO) of Saint Louis University (SLU) is set to host the first-ever school publications convergence titled, “Campus Press Dispatches: A Convergence of Louisian Student Publications” on 26 November 2024 at the Fr. Francis Gevers Hall, Main Campus, SLU.
As an initiative of the Office of the University President (OUP) through the UIO, the event will highlight the vital role of the campus press in delivering crucial news, information, and narratives essential to the Louisian community, while also supporting the advocacies of SLU, Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM), and the local community.
The Convergence will bring together representatives from the school publications of Saint Louis University, namely: The Young Louisian Courier (BEdS), Alab (BEdS), Tanglaw Hilaga – SLU Basic Education School (BEdS), The Louisian – (BEdS), Daily Dose (School of Nursing, Allied Health, and Biological Sciences – SONAHBS), Sampuso (SLU Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Parish and CICM Campus Mission Volunteers – CCMV), SCHEMA (School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies – SAMCIS), Stellaris (School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts – STELA), The Buttress (School of Engineering and Architecture – SEA), and White & Blue (the official school publication of SLU) of Academic Year 2025-2026.
The Convergence will feature a series of plenary sessions led by experienced journalists and media professionals in the Philippines. Ms. Kimberlie Quitasol, a news correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, will present on “Local Voices, Global Impact: Writing in the Age of Digital Disruption.” Ms. Dabet Panelo, a training officer from ABS-CBN Bayan Mo Ipatrol Mo, will discuss “Empowering Student Voices: Media Literacy in the Digital Age.” Mr. JJ Landingin, a photojournalist for Manila Bulletin, will cover “Visual Storytelling: Best Practices for Modern Photojournalists.” Following these sessions, there will be a fireside chat to facilitate discussions between Louisian student journalists and seasoned media professionals, concluding with a workshop to apply the insights gained.
Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Goals 4 (Quality Education ) and 17 (Partnership for the Goals), this Convergence will foster a strong sense of community through student-led journalism that will link the various schools and units within the university. It will also prepare students to effectively address diverse issues facing their communities while promoting inclusivity through student-led journalism. The CICM Advocacies of Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation, and Indigenous Peoples’ Advocacy will also be instilled through the contextualized program.
The Convergence will also address topics derived from the immersive Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) 2024 Institute on Journalism, Technology, and Democracy, which UIO writer Kaye Leah Sitchon attended at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism from June to July 2024. Relevant topics for the Philippines context include “Adapting and Localizing Media Literacy Initiatives,” “Engaged Community Journalism,” “Immersive Storytelling,” and “Indigenous and Border Cultures and Media.”
