Get your voice out there, join the Forum Club

What is going on at PVCC? If you want an answer to that question, read The Forum. The Forum is the official newspaper of PVCC, published by the Forum Club. Club President Jessica Adkins said, “The Forum is a space for people who like to write articles but don’t want to take a class.”

The Forum Club produces eight newspapers each academic year and publications such as the Voter’s Guide for the PVCC community. Ari Oxford, an assistant editor, said, “It’s an opportunity to get your voice out there.” The articles are written by club members as well as students in the journalism classes. 

The club meets on Tuesdays or Wednesdays depending on member schedules and when The Forum needs to be published. You do not need to attend meetings to be part of the club. There are approximately 20 members and all receive a Press Pass. According to the website, students can take part through writing, photography, drawing, editing, and design. 

The Forum staff advisor, Dr. Tamara Whyte, is an associate professor of English. She teaches journalism classes and encourages class members to join the club. Many club members come from the journalism class, including Ginger Hood. Hood said, “I want to be a journalist and don’t want it to end after the class is over.”

Whyte said of the club, “We like it to be low-key. There is a snack at every meeting, we do a field trip every year, and plan events as well as publish The Forum.” To plan an issue of  The Forum, each article title is written on a post-it note and lined up on a table to mimic the layout of the newspaper. 

The Forum is an opportunity for students to gain journalism experience while socializing with others who enjoy writing. The field trips and events include visiting Newseum in D.C. and hosting speakers. Assistant Editor Cody Clark said, “The club helped me figure out what I want to do with my life.”

If you want to be informed and know what is going on at PVCC, grab a copy of The Forum. If you want to get your voice out there, join The Forum Club and write the articles.

To find out when the next meeting is or to get more information, contact faculty adviser, Dr. Tamara Whyte: twhyte@pvcc.edu