Continuing Education Partners with Communication Students on Chicago Field Trip

07/02/2010 9:58 AM

On November 12, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) from BU’s department of Continuing Education joined some of Bradley’s electronic media and journalism students on a field trip to Chicago, which is the nation’s third largest media market. The topic was “The Future of Journalism,” and it centered on looking into how journalists are wrestling with an evolving business as old news sources convert to new digital technologies. The group had the opportunity to tour WGN and WBBM-AM in downtown Chicago. At the stations, they were able to see the equipment and talk to the employees about their jobs and what goes into producing the news. The OLLI members got a “behind the scenes” look at the news, and the students were able to see how a professional organization really looks and operates.

Dr. Sara Netsley, one of the professors on the field trip, said, “It was a nice chance for the OLLI participants to get to know the students and for the two groups to exchange information and perspectives. We had some ice-breaker trivia questions on the bus where we paired one student up with one OLLI member, and it was neat to hear the bus fill with chatter as the different groups got to know each other.”