Theme: The Next Generation
Concept: In many respects,
we are the next generation. Our teachers, our mentors, are leaving
academia and have entrusted with us the future of the discipline.
They gave us the skills and critical thinking abilities to continually
evaluate and add to the knowledge base of our field. In other
respects, as an association of educators, we are responsible for
the next generation of media and broadcast practitioners as well
as broadcast educators. We are helping our students to understand
the shape, scope, and future of broadcasting from a variety of
different perspectives. For all of us, our students have and will
become the next generation of broadcasters and broadcast educators.
I hope to see BEA celebrate The Next Generation.
Challenge: We can celebrate
The Next Generation by looking at where we are now, while at the
same time trying to understand where we are going. I'd like to
see each interest division, as members of the next generation,
program to this challenge by looking at their own mission statements
and goals. Part of this challenge would entail evaluating how
they have met and can continue to meet their objectives. I would
again challenge each interest division, as educators training
the next generation of practitioners, to plan/program with the
future of the next generation in mind.
A Second Challenge:
As Convention Program Planner, I am challenging the interest divisions
to have one new BEA member on each invited program/panel. If we
are truly helping to mentor The Next Generation of broadcast educators,
what better way is there than to bring them to the BEA annual
convention!