To all of you who are students or educators, congratulations on completing another semester! We look forward to celebrating with more than 200 college journalism educators during Poynter's Teachapalooza conference June 4-5. 

Both The Lead, our newsletter for student journalists, and Alma Matters, our newsletter for college educators and advisers, are taking summer publishing breaks. We recommend subscribers — and anyone else who cares about the media! — follow The Poynter Report this summer to stay up-to-date on journalism news. 

To keep your skills sharp, scroll for more from Poynter. 

— Andrew DeLong, Teaching and Event Services Director 

Making stories work involves more than just teases and live shots. This eight-session, four-week online seminar will help you expand your expertise as a TV producer with new writing, storytelling, coaching and ethical decision-making skills.

The Poynter Producer Project is long on practicality and low on theory. Poynter Senior Faculty Al Tompkins and a five-star lineup of visiting professionals will sharpen your writing and ethical decision-making skills, stretch your leadership muscles and increase your value to your newsroom. This course will energize you and expand your professional contacts.

Cost: $499. Apply by Monday, Aug. 23.

Members of AAJA, NABJ, NAHJ, NAJA or NLGJA — 50% tuition scholarships are available, thanks to the Scripps Howard Foundation.

Online group seminar, July 1-17

In a 24/7 news cycle, how do you build the skills to report, write and edit stories that connect with your audience? And — facing the challenges of remote work during the pandemic — how can editors and reporters collaborate more effectively?

Throughout six days of training and personalized coaching spread over three weeks, our team of award-winning journalists and educators will show you how digital approaches and narrative writing can transform your work — whether it’s a quick-turn story or a major project. This unique program will boost the skills of both reporters and editors who seek greater impact and relevance in digital newsrooms.

You'll learn from co-leaders Tom Huang and Jacqui Banaszynski. Guest instructors include Maria Carrillo, Kathleen McGrory, Kelly McBride, Samantha Ragland and Cheryl Carpenter. You will be able to book a private, one-on-one coaching session with a seminar instructor to talk through your career hurdles and opportunities.

Online group seminar, July 6-23

Former New York Times copy chief, Merrill Perlman, will teach you how to polish your own prose. This six-session course is perfect for freelancers and independent journalists who don’t have access to traditional editors. You'll connect with fellow writers through a weekly group text chat, live video sessions and assignment feedback from Perlman. Key lessons include how to overcome the pitfalls of editing work that you have created and how to check your work for clarity, organization and understanding.

Cost: $349. Enroll by Monday, July 5.

The Bowtie Ball is Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 

Poynter’s Bowtie Ball is an elegant year-end celebration of the free press and its impact on our lives. 

Each year, the program is fresh and dynamic, reflecting the mood of the moment and inspiring us with a vision for a more informed, more inclusive future. And each year, Poynter honors an esteemed journalist with the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism. Previous recipients include Chris Wallace, Katie Couric, Lester Holt, Judy Woodruff, Tom Brokaw and Bob Schieffer.

The 2021 Bowtie Ball will take place in Florida at St. Petersburg’s premier waterfront hotel, the Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club, on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Honorees will be announced soon. Save the date!

Newsroom Readiness Certificate
Self-directed course, start anytime 
This self-paced course includes five lessons about newsgathering, interviewing, media law, media ethics and diversity — basics all journalists should master. Cost: $49.99.  On Sale! $29.95. Enroll now.

How Any Journalist Can Earn Trust
Self-directed, start anytime
This online, self-paced course will help journalists understand mistrust and gain a better understanding of what trust in news looks like in the U.S. It will also provide you with tips and tools to be more transparent, more engaged and more open with your readers. Cost: Free. Suggested donation: $15. Enroll now.

Becoming a More Effective Writer: Clarity and Organization
Online group seminar, Oct. 4-29
Build the habits you need to organize your information better and write more clearly in this four-week online seminar, led by former New York Times copy chief Merrill Perlman. Cost: $429. Enroll now.