The annual conference of the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism will be Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marquette University Law School.
The conference will explore the answer to the question: Why does student performance in Milwaukee schools lag despite years of attempted fixes? 2017-18 O’Brien Fellow Erin Richards of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will lead a discussion of “Lessons Lost,” her reporting on how repeated school switching during the school year creates tough challenges for both students and educators. Her groundbreaking stories showed that student turnover is a massive indicator of academic struggle and stagnation. At the conference, local and national educators and others will discuss solutions to the problem. In addition, attendees can view an exhibit by Journal Sentinel photojournalist Angela Peterson that accompanies Richards’ stories.
The event is organized by the Diederich College of Communication, which houses the O’Brien Fellowship. The Fellowship pairs journalism professionals with student journalists to produce high-impact, in-depth reporting on public affairs with an eye toward spotlighting potential solutions to pressing problems facing America.
Register online. For more information, contact Dave Umhoefer, O’Brien Fellowship director, or Erin Richards, 2017-18 O’Brien Fellow.