Case Study

Elevating the future of HBCU journalism: Reflections from the 2025 Elevate Digital Media Conference

The Lenfest Institute sponsored the first-ever Elevate: HBCU Digital Media Conference. HBCU Digital Media Collaborative Co-Founder Justin Rushing shared insights and lessons from the gathering.

By Justin Rushing

June 26, 2025

This spring, we witnessed something extraordinary. On April 17-18, 2025, the first annual Elevate: HBCU Digital Media Conference brought together HBCU students, faculty, media professionals, and industry leaders at the Starling Hotel in Atlanta for two powerful days of connection, creativity, and career development. Designed as a space to elevate the voices and visions of HBCU student journalists and campus newsrooms, the conference gave birth to a movement to affirm the future of Black media and multiply the possibilities for the next generation. 

This year’s conference was built around five core programming tracks: 

• Career Readiness 

• Campus Publishing & Department Insights 

• Media & Journalism Skills Development 

• Opportunity Positioning 

• Industry Acumen & Innovation 

These tracks were intentionally crafted to reflect the holistic journey of HBCU students as they navigate both the realities and potential of today’s media landscape. 

Here are five key takeaways from the HBCU Digital Media Conference, highlighting how HBCU newsrooms are innovating and building a sustainable future for journalism: 

1. HBCU student journalists are hungry to compete and find their edge 

Our first conference effort reaffirmed what we already knew: that HBCU student journalists are ready to win. They came to Elevate not just for inspiration, but for strategy. Their questions were bold, thoughtful, and centered around how to authentically succeed in the media and journalism industry. 

One session that highlighted this conversation was “Journalism That Moves the Culture: Business, Sports & Politics,” roundtable discussion featuring Forbes Assistant Managing Editor Ali Jackson-Jolley and Jim Trotter, founder of the Work, Plan, Pray Foundation and a former ESPN/NFL Network columnist. Students asked Jackson-Jolley what it means to navigate journalism as a Black woman, what barriers she faced, and how she overcame them. They turned to Trotter with a different but equally profound question: “How safe is it to be yourself in this industry?” That moment struck at the heart of a collective concern, whether their truth would be welcomed or challenged as they carved their paths. 

In other career-track sessions, students leaned in even further. They wanted to know how to prepare for interviews, what sets a resume apart, and how to follow up professionally without falling into the background. In the session “What Are We Looking For in Hiring Emerging Talent,” Rhema Thompson Bland, deputy director of news talent, culture & training at McClatchy, spoke candidly about hiring expectations.  

“Your GPA isn’t what lands you the job. It’s your ability to clearly demonstrate your value,” she said.  

She encouraged students to showcase relative experiences, self-driven projects, and outcomes tied to real work, not just classroom performance.

In a hands-on session with TEGNA Talent Acquisition Partner Stephen Adams, students submitted their resumes for live feedback and critiques. He encouraged students to craft their resume to tell a story and set a narrative across their experiences to highlight their responsibilities and share impact and achievements. Students bravely opened themselves up to coaching, eager to learn exactly how to position their skills in ways that attract meaningful opportunities. 

2. Campus media remains an untapped incubator for innovation 

A consistent theme throughout Elevate was the call for more expansive, interdisciplinary campus media experiences. Many students shared that while their campuses offered some form of media outlet, be it radio, TV, or a student newspaper, those opportunities were often siloed or limited to a specific concentration. This fragmentation made it difficult for students to fully explore the breadth of today’s multimedia journalism. 

Students expressed a deep desire to get their hands dirty across platforms including podcasting, video, and digital publishing. Many came with big ideas: multi-format news shows, student-led investigative blogs, even AI-enhanced newsletters. They weren’t asking for permission, they were asking for infrastructure and support. 

Some students raved about the creative work happening in their student newsrooms and the pride they feel seeing their ideas come to life. At the same time, campus advisors echoed the need to better align newsroom efforts with journalism curricula, emphasizing that student media can and should be a critical space where classroom learning comes alive in real time. 

This isn’t just about content. It’s about confidence, leadership, and innovation, and HBCU campuses know their potential to grow and expand.  We just need to help them scale. 

3. There is no shortage of brilliance, only a need for more bridges of support 

Over the course of two days, I listened to students share what drives them, their “why” for pursuing journalism. And I was moved. Many of them are far ahead of where I was at their stage. 

• Cameron Smith of NC A&T launched a short film at the conference that was shared with attendees.  

• Daryl Green of Savannah State shared his sports documentary that was nominated for a local Emmy. 

• Dozens of others spoke about publishing on Substack, producing original podcasts, and managing their visual storytelling brands. 

Their stories weren’t hypothetical. They are happening right now. What they need isn’t just applause, it’s access. More mentorship. More exposure. More trust. 

There’s no doubt about the talent. The next generation of Black media leaders is already here. We just need to meet their brilliance with bridges. 

4. Students need professional exposure and trajectory mapping…early! 

One thing this conference revealed to me is that exposure to professionals creates breakthroughs. 

Students told us over and over again that they’ve never had this type of access to recruiters, executives, and working journalists they can connect with. And that access changed lives in real time: 

• Dasia Garner of NC A&T met Ron Nixon, director of the Associated Press Local Investigative Journalism Program, and was able to secure an internship through the personal engagement opportunity. 

• Kindle Twyman of NC A&T, an aspiring photographer, approached me for help finding a mentor. I introduced her to Christian Monterossa, a freelance photographer who’s shot for The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. They connected, and he’s now actively advising her. 

This is what we mean by trajectory mapping. It’s not just about inspiration, it’s about pathways.  

Students need to know: 

• What skills to build beyond the classroom. 

• What newsroom-adjacent careers exist in audience engagement, product, branded content, or analytics. 

• What it takes to go from student to professional, from curious to confident. 

And they need real people to show them! 

5. Media and journalism organizations are passionate allies 

When we were building this year’s agenda, we knew we wanted media professionals to do more than speak, we wanted them to stay, connect, and invest. And they did. 

From breakfast networking to breakout sessions, our partners didn’t just drop in, they dug in. They listened to students’ questions. They reviewed resumes over lunch. They made introductions. And they offered guidance and encouragement that validated our students’ purpose. 

Panelists and facilitators were present beyond their scheduled sessions, attending other discussions and making themselves available for one-on-one conversations. Students took notice. Several told us how powerful it was to be surrounded by people they admire, many of whom they didn’t think they’d ever have access to, and to feel seen, respected, and heard. 

This is what partnership looks like.  

Lead photo: Ali Jackson-Jolley shares details about the Forbes HBCU Scholars program with HBCU student journalists. Photo by Michael Grant