JAWS launches formal mentor matches year-round

By Donna Myrow, JAWS Board Member, and Becky Day, JAWS Executive Director

Are you looking for advice on career advancement, work-life balance, breaking into a different media platform or just a good listener? The JAWS mentoring program is for you.

Whether or not you come to the Conference and Mentoring Project, better known as CAMP, you can participate in our year-long mentorship program. We've taken the positive experiences of mentors and mentees and harnessed them more formally for our JAWS members.

The mentoring relationship takes time and a level of commitment for one year from both sides. You can sign up to be a mentor or a mentee no matter where you live, as long as you keep in touch with your match via email, telephone or other contact.

This part of the mentoring project is designed to help emerging or career-changing journalists with issues ranging from framing a story to crafting a résumé, from job searches to adapting to changing trends in journalism.

The program will provide support to prepare for self-advocacy, transitioning into teaching or other endeavors, preparing your case to ask for a raise, improving public speaking or transitioning into leadership positions, among other important issues. Geographic proximity is a plus. Ask for what you need!

Several members have already asked for a mentoring partner. You can ask for either a mentor or mentee partner too. Contact Donna Myrow or Becky Day. Mentors and mentees will receive an application questionnaire and a simple agreement that lays out the expectations of each party, some goals and what each party hopes to achieve. A list of resources, links to relevant topics covered by Poynter, universities, or other institutions will also be available.

JAWS is excited to offer our members another opportunity to expand your skills personally and professionally.

Sign on up with an email to Becky or Donna or check the box when you mail in your membership renewal.

Join JAWS' spring fling potluck in May

By Jen DePaul, JAWS Board Member, Chair of Regional Gatherings

We'd like to announce the first annual JAWS "Spring Fling Potluck!" Most of our active chapters already host regular monthly gatherings, usually in the form of a happy hour. We want to challenge you to ramp up your regional gathering by hosting a potluck in the month of May. Our goal is to have every active chapter (Bay Area; Boston; Chicago; D.C.; Frederick, Md.; New York City; Seattle; and Southern Calif.) participate in this event.

Whoever hosts the event (regional captain or member), we ask that you promote your event among your regional email listservs, email website manager Connie K. Ho for an announcement in the next newsletter, and tweet @womenjournos, prior to the potluck. Remember to take pictures and submit them to the chair of regional gatherings, following the event so that we can share them in the next newsletter and online. Find some tips and documents, including a flier printout with discounted rates for new members, on how to host a regional event. Have questions? Email Chair of Regional Gatherings Jen DePaul.

Board member blog post

Sunshine: Today and every day

By Erin Siegal McIntyre, JAWS Board Member

This year, the Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) participated in Sunshine Week, joining a long list of esteemed participants in the name of transparency and open government.

From March 16–22, organizations across the country participated in events designed to call attention to Freedom of Information (FOI) and FOIA requests.

Now more than ever, it's important that journalists stand strong against the not-so-delightful assortment of dirty tricks used to thwart the healthy flow of information from the government's closets to the public's hearts and minds.

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Ambassador makes connections for JAWS

By Katherine Ann Rowlands, JAWS Ambassador

Promoting women’s leadership and taking time to support one other were the themes that resonated for me at several conferences I attended on behalf of the Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) the past couple of months.

A Women’s Caucus started three years ago got together again in February at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference in Seattle, and its leadership is eager to collaborate with JAWS on events and mentoring going forward. Finding ways to help young women writers is high on its agenda. With so many of our JAWS members writing books, we have a lot of wisdom to share with each other. For starters, we plan to do a joint mentoring panel at the AWP conference next year in St. Paul/Minneapolis and several AWP members plan to attend the JAWS conference in Palm Springs Oct. 31–Nov. 2.

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JAWS Seattle reinvigorated

By Katherine Ann Rowlands, JAWS Ambassador

Regional gatherings recap

JAWS Bay Area: A dozen JAWdesses gathered at the home of past president Katherine Ann Rowlands in Oakland on March 13 to celebrate the publication of Caryl Rivers' insightful new book, "The New Soft War on Women: How the Myth of Female Ascendance Is Hurting Women, Men - and Our Economy." There was a wonderful discussion about her book, the need to include men in the discussion about empowering women, and how to define leadership for women in journalism.

JAWS D.C.: D.C. area members met at the National Press Club on Feb. 26 for a recipe swap and to hear from Carol Guensburg and Michele Kayal about American Food Roots at a happy hour organized by Linda Kramer. They each shared a story about a meaningful recipe, including Hillary Clinton's cookie recipe published when she was Arkansas’ First Lady. Carol and Michele plan to feature some of the recipes and stories on American Food Roots. Members pictured listening include past JAWS presidents Jodi Enda and Peg Simpson along with current board member Adrienne Lawrence.

JAWS NYC: JAWS members gathered at Geneva Overholser's new New York apartment for a party and book signing for Jane Isay. Jane's new book, "Secrets and Lies: Surviving the Truths That Change Our Lives," is available through Amazon via the JAWS website. For Jane's book and other great work from JAWS members, visit the jaws.org website.