Adem Jones || Issue 15 || March 5, 2025
From February 25th to March 1st, a few of us from The Hudsonian: Adam Conklin (Editor-in-Chief), Izzie Holt (Copy Editor), Libby Star (Managing Editor), Jonah Flanagan (Photo Editor), and Adem Jones, took a trip down to New York City for ProCon 2025, hosted by the College Media Association, a conference and convention dedicated to students in mass media and communication. It was a whirlwind of learning, exploring, and a bit of chaos, but it was an experience none of us will be forgetting anytime soon. The conference itself was packed with incredible speakers covering a wide range of topics. We dove into discussions on reorganizing student publications to create more effective and aesthetically pleasing layouts, learned how to market and brand ourselves through website creation, and debated the practical and ethical implications of AI in journalism. There were also some heavier sessions, ones that tackled the increasing vilification of journalists and what it means to step into this ever-evolving, often challenging field. With over 700 students, professors, journalists, digital strategists, social media managers, and other media professionals in attendance from across the country, the sessions were insightful, eye-opening, and gave us a lot to think about as we continue to shape our own publication. But it wasn’t all work and no play. Exploring New York City was an experience in itself. Times Square’s sights and sounds, endless good food, and some hilarious moments within our group made the trip even more memorable. We had ourselves some conveyor belt sushi which was as cute as it was delicious, Izzie got her first tattoo, Adam spent a concerning
amount of time doing Trig homework, Libby somehow managed to break the Discord, Jonah was a menace, making Libby and Izzie think he was hiding in their room, and Adem conquered all five floors of Margaritaville. The entire trip was hosted by the one and only John Staerker, who made sure everything ran smoothly and that we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the conference without a hitch, so special thanks to John. But more than anything, this trip helped us grow. Not just as individual
journalists and students in mass media, but as a team. We’re back at Hudson Valley with a newfound sense of camaraderie, fresh perspectives, and a renewed drive to produce a paper that students can trust and be proud of. In the end, memories were made, lessons were learned, the spirit of Jimmy Buffett was alive and well (kinda), and we left NYC with a deeper appreciation for the field we’re stepping into. It was an unforgettable, life-changing trip, and we can’t wait to bring what we learned back to our paper.
The Hudsonian 