The Dow Jones News Fund chose 16 college students to receive free registrations to attend the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) virtual conventions through its Emerging Journalists program.

The aim is to offer opportunities for diverse students whether at universities or community colleges to build their skills and professional networks at these important gatherings.

Attendees will write and tweet about their experiences at the conferences.

Students attending the SPJ convention Sept. 12-13:
Keiarra Bray, Elon University
Patrick Clemons, Western Carolina University
Ashlyn DeLoughy, Elon University
Maria Elena Little Endara, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Jean MacBride, University of Vermont
Kyra O’Connor, Elon University
Eliza Anne Partika, University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism
Nicole Shih, DePaul University
Bradford Siwak, University of Missouri-Columbia
Naomi Washington, Elon University

Students attending the IRE convention Sept. 21-25:
Izz LaMagdeleine, University of South Carolina
Rebecca Picciotto, Amherst College
Pam Ortega, University of California, San Diego, Graduate School
Kaitlin Smith, Creighton University
Katherine Swartz, University of California, Santa Barbara
Ufon Umanah, Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism