{"id":41543,"date":"2025-02-26T14:27:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T19:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=41543"},"modified":"2025-02-26T14:41:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T19:41:34","slug":"new-student-founded-visual-journalists-association","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/new-student-founded-visual-journalists-association\/","title":{"rendered":"COM Students Start New Visual Journalists Association"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin bu-blocks-block-editorial-leadin is-style-default has-media has-media-focus-center-middle\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"4544\" height=\"3029\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825.jpeg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Student smiling at VJA exhibition\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825.jpeg 4544w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-636x424.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-1500x1000.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-450x300.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6825-600x400.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4544px) 100vw, 4544px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo: Kate Kotlyar<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCOM Students Start New Visual Journalists Association\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-categories\">\n\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/category\/journalism\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJournalism\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">February 26, 2025<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/authors\/karyna-cheung\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKaryna Cheung\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div style=\"display:none;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-inner js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t<h4>Share<\/h4>\n\t\t<p class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-title\">COM Students Start New Visual Journalists Association<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-link\">\n\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" value=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/new-student-founded-visual-journalists-association\/\" readonly>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<label>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Copy URL:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Copy<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/label>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>BU journalism students benefit from a range of clubs and organizations to support their reporting, including news and digital publications, magazines, and journals. Reporting in visual formats, however, didn\u2019t have an official home \u2013 until now, with the launch of a new club, the Visual Journalists Association (VJA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The student-founded club focuses on supporting visual journalists, but anyone with a passion for visual communications is welcome to join. Within the club, some members are also a part of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), a national organization for professionals pursuing visual journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-teal-background-right\"><p>Our goal is to create a community and a resource for photojournalists at the school. It&#8217;s a pretty niche passion, and I think we are\u2026very motivated to support others who have this niche passion. <\/p><cite>Clare Ong, VJA President and Senior Studying Film and Television<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-636x424.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-1500x1000.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-450x300.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6867-600x400.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Clare Ong, President of BU Visual Journalists Association, talks to students signing up to join the club at SPLASH on Nickerson Field, Sept .7, 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ong said that she was attracted to the creative aspect of photojournalism and filmmaking, though she does not specifically want to be a journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cVisual journalism is more broad in that sense, like communicating and storytelling through different forms like video and documentary,\u201d Ong said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ong created a video in a visual journalism class about therapy dogs who travel to schools to engage with students and help them handle stress. She said that this project allowed her to explore a passion for animals through a visual medium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vice President Kate Kotlyar is studying public relations, but she still found a place to pursue her passion for photography in VJA. She currently photographs at concerts, but in the future, Kotlyar wants a career that combines photography and public relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI want to be somewhere where I can use both of my abilities. I can\u2019t ever see myself not doing photography,\u201d Kotlyar said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andrew Burke-Stevenson, who is pursuing his own career in photojournalism, serves as VJA\u2019s secretary on its executive board as well as remaining a member of NPPA.&nbsp; \u201cIt\u2019s great we have [this club] now,\u201d Burke-Stevenson said. \u201cThe professors at BU have always been really supportive, and we have one extra pool of resources that we can tap into.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He added, \u201cI think pictures can be emotionally resonant in a a way that is a lot harder for words to be,\u201d Burke-Stevenson said. \u201cWhen I\u2019m writing I can go and look at that and pretend that I know what they\u2019re feeling. I can\u2019t say what they\u2019re feeling, but with photography, I can capture how they\u2019re expressing and I think that\u2019s enough to build empathy with an audience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This past fall, VJA organized several events, including an event featuring the photo editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, portfolio review sessions, and a photo contest open to all BU students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This semester, the club is hoping to expand its outreach to the BU community with more workshop events, guest speaker opportunities and a special zine made up of submissions from their photo contest. Kotlyar said that the experience of physically seeing their work displayed can be \u201cuplifting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cI really want to be an organization that stands the test of time. I think it could be a really difficult time for journalists. It\u2019s important that we\u2019re all friends and we support each other,\u201d Kotlyar said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41545\" width=\"860\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-636x424.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-1500x1000.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-450x300.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2025\/02\/IMG_6781-600x400.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/><figcaption>Isabella Oland, Fall 2024 Public Relations Chair, tabling at the COM Activities Fair on Sept. 6, 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BU journalism students benefit from a range of clubs and organizations to support their reporting, including news and digital publications,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24086,"featured_media":41546,"template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[128],"bu-publication":[],"discipline-type":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/41543"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24086"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/41543\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41555,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/41543\/revisions\/41555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41543"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=41543"},{"taxonomy":"discipline-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/discipline-type?post=41543"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=41543"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=41543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}