Photos by Jennifer King

There is little doubt that one of the most positive opportunities offered to students at the School of Journalism and Communication is the chance to hear from and work with professionals from outside the School. Offering both examples of their personal experiences and suggestions for successfully pursuing careers in their fields, these visitors bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom.

Students and faculty at the SOJC were treated to visits from an impressive assortment of guest lecturers throughout winter term. National Geographic executive editor Bill Allen; former New York Times reporter Lydia Chavez; video producer Beth Harrington; co-creative director at Team One Advertising Josh Miller; and award-winning concert photographer Jon Sievert were among the distinguished professionals willing to share their time and experience with students.

Bill Allen

In January, students and faculty gathered to hear Bill Allen discuss his career with National Geographic. Having arrived at the magazine as an intern 29 years ago, Allen has risen through the ranks to executive editor of the celebrated, photography-based magazine.

During his visit with students, Allen explained how strict National Geographic is about proper cultural representation. He recalled a photographer whose helicopter was delayed en route to an assignment to cover a traditional ritual performed only once a decade. The ceremony was over by the time the photographer arrived, and as far as National Geographic was concerned, so was the story. There would be no recreation of the moment.

"We cannot repeat action," Allen said. "If we ever catch (a photographer) doing anything like that, they will never work for National Geographic again."

Allen, whose job duties include choosing 80 photos from the approximately 40,000 shot for each issue of the nine million-circulation magazine, said that he was "delighted to be able to talk with such a talented group of students interested in magazines."

Lydia Chavez

Chavez shared her stories of adventure reporting abroad with students in February. Currently at work completing her book, The Color Bind, which follows California's campaign against affirmative action through the 1996 presidential elections, Chavez teaches in the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley.

Students attending the discussion were eager to hear about the unique course Chavez teaches in the Bay Area in which students spend the semester learning about a place and its problem, such as the Mexican border or Cuba, then visit the place to report on it for several weeks at the end of the term. Their stories are then compiled in The Pacific, a magazine published annually by UC Berkeley.

Chavez and the students enjoyed discussing methods of understanding the differences in daily journalism and magazine writing.

As a reporter for the New York Times from 1981-88, Chavez' assignments included reporting for the business, metro and national desks, and two tours abroad as correspondent and bureau chief based in El Salvador and Algeria.

Additionally, she was recently named the first Leonard Silk Journalism Fellow, an award administered by the Twentieth Century Fund, which was designed to enable working journalists to complete books on contemporary issues. She will use the fellowship to complete The Color Bind, which will be published by University of California Press.

Beth Harrington

Students in both the visual communications class and the documentary workshop had a chance to discuss independent filmmaking with award-winning documentarian Beth Harrington in February. Harrington, whose film The Blinking Madonna was recently featured on PBS's Point of View series, visited the campus to share her ideas and work with the classes. Drawing from her own experience, Harrington offered advice to students interested in the highly competitive field of filmmaking. Originally from Boston, Harrington now lives in Vancouver, Wash. Her most recent film, A Cringele Crash Course in Digital Television, was produced by OPB and nationally distributed by PBS. She is currently at work on a new film called, In Search of the Female Elvis.

Josh Miller

Also among the visitors to the School this term was Josh Miller, the award-winning co-creative director at Team One Advertising in El Segundo, Calif. Miller graduated from the SOJC in 1990 and went on to work for New York advertising firms such as Kirschenbaum & Bond, Ammarati & Puris and Cliff Freeman & Partners. He made the move to California to handle accounts including Lexus and Air New Zealand for Team One.

In late February, Miller visited a copywriting class where he spoke to students about the creative process of copywriting. He also spent time critiquing the portfolios of some of Ann Maxwell's students.

Jon Sievert

Concert photographer Jon Sievert was welcomed to classes taught by Denise Matthews and Bill Ryan in mid-February when he visited the SOJC to discuss his work with students. The Ohio native began his career as a staff photographer for the Toledo Blades newspaper, then moved to San Francisco in 1969 where he began photographing concerts on a freelance basis. Sievert, who worked 19 years with Guitar Player magazine, has had his work featured on more than 100 magazine covers, on dozens of album covers and in countless books and publications worldwide.

Sievert, who shared tips on marketing photography with the students, is currently working on archiving his many years of documentation of the national music scene onto CD-ROM to increase his sales to photo agencies and magazines.