Community Journalism “J Lab” Certificate Program

The “J Lab” at MCCC is a continuing education program for residents in the Mercer County, NJ area to learn basic skills of journalism so they can tell the stories of their communities that may otherwise be overlooked. The 8-evening program starts on Thurs. Sept. 4. It is led by a journalism professor and includes guest presentations from writers and editors from several community publications and national media outlets.

Session topics include: interviewing strategies, photography tips and tricks, fact-checking, determining newsworthiness, handling ethical questions of community reporting, following basic journalistic writing practices, and more!

Students in the program receive regular feedback and support on their course project from the professor and teaching assistant. To qualify for the certificate, students must maintain a reporter’s notebook, attend class consistently, contribute to discussions, and complete one or more publishable quality articles. J Lab articles are published on The College VOICE website and can be used as part of a portfolio for those seeking further publication opportunities.