The Washington Journalism and Media Conference is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity hosted by George Mason University. 

An intensive program for high school sophomores and juniors interested in journalism, WJMC students gain hands-on experience within the fields of journalism and media throughout their week in D.C.

Felicity Abbott, a Glenbard South senior and one of the Editors in Chief for The Independent, attended the conference during the summer of 2022. 

“I first heard about WJMC when I received my letter stating I had been accepted into the program. At first, I thought it was a scam,” Abbott laughed. She stated how she was thrilled to travel to D.C. and make the most of the unique opportunities the program offered. 

“I felt this program would allow me to experiment with journalism and determine if it was a good career fit for me,” she said. 

Abbott also chose this program as she believed WJMC would be a good experience to have before going away to college, mentioning how she would be in a new city, living in a dorm and meeting many new people.

Abbott emphasized that making friends from the program was the most memorable part of her experience. 

“I met so many people from across the country… I was also able to meet a lot of established journalists and people in the field of media and communications. I loved being able to ask them specific questions and get a feel of all aspects of journalism.”

Abbott has years of journalistic experience under her belt, and looks to pursue a career in media, but is not sure which specific field to venture into. 

“I know that I am on the right track and that journalism will give me the freedom to pursue all of my future endeavors,” she said. 

Her days at WJMC were filled to the brim with various journalistic undertakings. Abbott reminisced on how some days focused on listening to guest speakers while others centered around exploring D.C. 

“However, on the last day of the conference, we spent the day at the National Mall exploring independently and then had the WJMC Gala at night. It was a perfect way to end the week,” she said.

Abbott could not wait to come back to Glenbard South to share her new knowledge and skills with the rest of The Independent staff. 

“The most valuable thing I learned from WJMC is how wide the field of journalism and communications is… no matter where your interest lies, journalism has a spot for you,” she said.

“I most definitely recommend this program for GBS students,” Abbott said. “I learned so much and made invaluable memories. This is a great opportunity that I believe anyone who gets the chance should take.” 

The deadline to apply for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference is December 5.