Spartan Echo students are members of the media and gain real-world on-the-job training in writing, reporting, interviewing, organizing and communicating through words and pictures, skills that are valuable in almost any profession.

Any Norfolk State student can write for the Spartan Echo, but did you know you can get training and college credit for it, too? Just register for JRN 221 News Writing. The course meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until 10:50 a.m.

The News Writing course teaches students through on-the-job training. Students write for the Spartan Echo and receive one-on-one instruction from the Spartan Echo adviser. Each student works at their own pace and creates at least one original news story, lifestyle feature, entertainment article, sports story, opinion or editorial column, and a LinkedIn-style informational article. After that, students are free to write any type of journalistic piece they want.

With the coaching of the adviser, most students get their material published on the SpartanEcho.org website, then shared with thousands through social media. It’s an easy way to build a body of work that enhances any resume and increases employment opportunities, no matter what field a student might enter after graduation.

So, if you want to be a published author and get college credit for doing it, sign-up for JRN 221 News Writing this fall semester. It’s often the first step students take in getting a paid position as a Spartan Echo editor the following semester.