Two-day Conference Will Feature More than 20 Communications Professionals

Savannah State University (SSU) will host its 73rd annual Southern Regional Press Institute (SRPI) February 29 – March 1. The annual event seeks to help high school and college students acquire skills in communications. The event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required.

The two-day event will feature more than 20 industry professionals presenting on topics related to multimedia and digital communications, journalism, public relations, and strategic communications. This year’s theme is “Artificial Intelligence in the Media and Pop Culture.”

The event’s two keynote speakers are Bud Johnson, a professional content creator and freelance photographer and writer; and Paula Wambui-Pinzon, a senior engineer at NetApp. Wambui-Pinzon will present at 9 a.m., Feb. 29 in the Howard Jordan Torian Auditorium. Johnson will present at 12 p.m., March 1 in the King Frazier Ballroom.

In addition to 12 workshops offered during the conference, the two-day program includes:

• Thursday, February 29, 10 a.m. – 1:50 p.m., Whiting Hall 128: Professional Headshot Session
• Thursday, February 29, 1 p.m. – 1:50 p.m., Whiting Hall 112: AI is Now (HBCU Heroes)
• Thursday, February 29, 3:30 p.m., Whiting Hall 112: Media Professional Alumni Panel
• Friday, March 1: 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Whiting Hall 112: Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and the Business of Sports to Secure Your Bag

Attending colleges include The University of the Virgin Islands, Bethune-Cookman University; North Carolina Central; Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Savanah State University. Media organizations represented at the even include: WSAV-TV, Gray Media, WWSB-ABC 7, WTOC-TV, FrontRow Public Relations, LLC, Georgia Film Academy, Let’s P Creative PR LLC, HBCU Heroes, Room for Us Productions, and ALIVE Podcast Network, among others. The event is sponsored by the SSU Office of the President, HBCU Heroes and the University of the Virgin Islands.

Registration for the event, a complete list of workshops and more information on the history of SRPI are available at https://www.savannahstate.edu/class/departments/mass-communications/srpi.shtml.

Founded in 1951, SRPI features keynote speakers, multiple concurrent workshops, and contests. Nationally respected journalists and media professionals instruct the workshops. From 2013 to 2024, the institute has hosted more than 250 professional guest speakers.

For more information, contact SRPI Co-Director Kareem McMichael at [email protected] or 912-358-3378