Listserve members:
        Two items to note:

        1. The Miami Chaper of SPJ will hold elections Monday, April 12, in
the Bachelor Reading Room. We are still in search of students interested in
seeking office. We have spots for president, vice president, secretary and
treasurer. Additionally, we need hard workers to chair programming,
membership and other committees.
        You must be a member of SPJ national and a student at Miami to hold
office. If you are interested in running for office, contact Kevin Smith,
advisor, 360 Bachelor Hall. Or, you can show up at the meeting (6 p.m.) and
announce your candidacy. Experience isn't necessary, but a willingness to
work hard and set goals is. We'd like to have you, so don't talk yourself
out of this.

        2. The SPJ Regional will be held April 9-10 at the Riverview Hotel
in Covington, Ky. just across the river from Cincinnati. The conference
starts Friday at 2:45 p.m. with two workshops -- one dealing with the
Enquirer and Chiquita Banana incident of last May (if you have to ask, you
should go to this one), the other for ** students ** where professionals
talk about covering specific beats.
        Working on the web, and a seminar on the hottest beats in the
business, is from 4:15-5:30 p.m. that day. A reception will follow in the
hotel beginning at 6 p.m., then dinner at 7 p.m. Terry Anderson, fromer AP
writer who was taken hostage in Iran (1980s), will be the guest speaker. He
is currently working at Ohio U. as a visiting professor.
        The regional continues Saturday at 9 a.m. with workshops on
editorial cartooning of Bill Clinton, and a seminar on journalism beyond
newspapers (cable TV, etc.) At 10:30 a.m. there are seminars on religion
reporting, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer staff talks about their 26-day
series on a woman who lost her battle with cancer. At 2:30 p.m. Writer's
Digest editor Tom Clark talks of feature writing and he will critique your
work of three samples for $15. The other concurrent seminar is on Joint
Operating Agreements, and there is a third panel discussion on diversity in
the newsroom.
        At the Saturday luncheon, keynote speaker Jeffery Stamp a "trained
brain" expert for a Cincinnati think tank will talk about spurring your
creativity and writing and thinking. (I feel smarter having just written
this.)
        This is a MEGA conference combining regions 4 (Western
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan) with Region 5 (kentucky,
Indiana and Illinois).
        Cost of the two-day fun-filled extravaganza is $75 for students and
$85 for professionals.
        About half of the attendees will be students looking to network
with professionals. Yes, professionals will be here from all the major
markets in the above states. Some are looking for employees. Come and bring
resumes, or at the very least get business cards. Think of it as a $75
investment in your first job and a chance to eat and drink (legal age only)
with the professionals. And find out the real reasons so many Americans
love us. We're really nice to know.
        If you'd like to go you can register with Sacha DeVroomen by
emailing her at [log in to unmask] Or, you can just come the Friday or
Saturday and register on site.
        One last thing. The regional closes with a student award (Mark of
Excellence) presentation. There will be some surprises this year in the
print catagory. Be a part of that.
        Extra activities both nights are certain to surface as people
depart the hotel in search of fun in Cincy. Hotel reservations should be
made directly to the Riverview Hotel at a rate of $85 per night
(1-800-292-2079).