Starter Lab
Starter Lab is a rapid learning program for college and high school students. It is not a prerequisite for Successful Journalism Lab, though it can be helpful.
A workshop that cares
The Starter Lab is a learning experience focused on journalism craft and emotional engagement. It is a workshop that cares. It is a place for people getting started in journalism or engagement, who want to learn.
Instructor/Editor
Rob Golub. You will work directly with Rob. He is a current community journalist and former chief editor of a daily newspaper. He speaks at conferences on journalism and is the founder of this site. His work focuses on combining professional standards with emotional engagement to build trust, relevance and community connection. He has been training new journalists for 20 years, including professionals who went on to work or intern at The New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, and community news organizations everywhere.
What happens in the Starter Lab
Participants in the Starter Lab learn both by way of personal instruction and by doing:
- Writing brief stories under real editorial conditions
- Learning how structure, clarity and emotional engagement work together
- Receiving direct editorial feedback
- Developing judgment through revision and discussion
The Starter Lab includes the fundamentals as needed: clear nut graphs and strong composition, grounded in reporting. We will meet you at your skill level. If you need to learn basics, you‘ll learn basics. If not, you’ll move along to emotional engagement and deeper lessons on craft.
Participants will:
- Write brief articles, for learning.
- Work closely with an editor.
- End with a career mentorship meeting and access to more.
Who the Starter Lab is for
The Starter Lab is designed primarily for high school and college students.
Why the Starter Lab exists
The Starter Lab exists because journalism matters, and because new journalists deserve a place that respects them and their needs. This is for people who care about journalism and others.
Journalism doesn’t struggle because people don’t want truth. It struggles when it loses the faith of the people it serves. When we emotionally engage our audiences, with responsible and professional journalism grounded in old-fashioned newsroom values, so much more becomes possible.
In short, the Starter Lab builds on the principles behind Successful Journalism for Communities. If you saw one of our presentations and it resonated with you, you’ve come to the right place.
How to apply
The Starter Lab is a 15-hour program, including work on your own and several hours of instruction and editing from us. A tuition fee of $295 is required to participate in Starter Lab. Hours are scheduled after acceptance.
To apply, please send:
- A resume
- Writing samples
- A note of interest
- GPA
Applications should be emailed to Rob@SuccessfulJournalism.com