The Society of Professional Journalists Spring 2025

The Society of Professional Journalists is a national professional collegiate association dedicated to promoting quality journalism.

Our chapter at Duquesne University is dedicated to inspiring and educating current and future journalists through professional development. We aim to create opportunities for students to interact and learn from their professional counterparts and other students active within the journalism field. Our members are deeply involved in the profession, with most writing for the school newspaper and some interning at publications around the city.

As an organization, we participate in discourse surrounding current issues with journalism and free speech, host panels to hear directly from seasoned journalists, visit surrounding high schools to uplift young journalists, attend conferences and hold multiple events throughout the academic year.

We are a growing group hoping to educate and collaborate with journalists in not only the Duquesne community but the entire Pittsburgh area. SPJ enhances our academic experience at Duquesne because it allows us to:

• Collaborate with fellow student journalists and network with professionals in the field
• Educate Duquesne students through hosting panels that cover topics on First Amendment rights and journalism
• Pass our knowledge to younger journalists in the region and show them what the journalism program at the university has to offer
• Create a strong community for student journalists

Your donation to our organization will have an impact that ripples out through generations to come. We must cover the cost of:

• Transportation to surrounding high schools for our community service journalism project, which allows us to provide advice to young journalists
• Food and drink for our panel guests and attendees
• Transportation and boarding fees to attend conferences
• Supplies to put on different events on campus such as our First Amendment Free Food Festival, which teaches students the importance of free speech
• Fees to be a part of the national organization

After dwindling membership due to COVID-19, we are still trying to get the SPJ back on its feet. Currently, your donation is more important than ever.

Donations will help the university’s journalism students to collaborate on ideas that will benefit the future of the profession.

Donate now: A gift of any size will help to keep our organization alive, so we can continue to educate others. Spread the word: Follow us on Instagram @duqspj. Every like, share, and follow is an easy way to help share our message, and continue to support the group!