About Us
The Schoolcraft Connection is the award-winning student newspaper at Schoolcraft College. Our mission is to publish news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to the campus community while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards.
The Connection is a free publication in print and circulates throughout campus and can also be found online.
Being a student-managed publication, The Schoolcraft Connection gives an opportunity for students regardless of their major to learn and apply journalism skills.
Goals of the Schoolcraft Connection:
• To teach student the rules of professional journalism while promoting creative expression.
• To provide the student body with a forum of open expression within boundaries established by the student newspaper guidelines.
• To enlighten the school community about events relevant to it.
Where are we located
The Schoolcraft Connection office is located inside the Student Activities Office in the VisTaTech Center Lower Waterman Wing.
How to get involved
Those interested in joining should click on this link to take you to the Schoolcraft Connection Application
All interested students must have the following criteria in order to be
able to work for the Connection.
1) Schoolcraft College cumulative GPA of 2.5 higher (incoming students will be accepted on a probationary period through the fall semester)
2)Be currently enrolled for 6+ credit hours for the Fall and Winter semesters
3) Must meet standard academic progress with an academic completion rate of 67% or higher (does not apply to new students)
4) Must have completed less than 90 credit hours
What positions are available at the Connection
The Connection offers a variety of positions for students interested in writing, photography, design and video production. We offer both staff and editor positions. The following is a list of positions:
Editor-In-Chief
Time Commitment: 20 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $10/hr for 20 hour per week; $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) is the highest-ranking member of the newspaper staff. He/she is ultimately responsible for overall operations and content in the Connection from planning to distribution for both online and print. He/She serves as student spokesperson for the newspaper. One of the most important responsibilities of the Editor-In-Chief is to set measurable long-term and short-term goals for the staff. The EIC motivates and maintains entire staff by assisting the other editors and staff in creating and facilitating an open and inviting atmosphere.
Managing Editor
Time Commitment: 15 hours per week; flexible hours; office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $10/hr for 15 hour per week; $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
The Managing Editor is second-in-command, working alongside the Editor-in-Chief. He/She is responsible for the management of the staff and the day-to-day operations of the paper. The Managing Editor duties also include working with EIC, section editors and adviser in the training staff in the proper usage of grammar and AP style as used the newspaper; training staff in writing skills; assisting Editor-in-Chief and section editors in final copy review, editing, and alterations (to include AP style, grammar, spelling, correct titles and fact checking).
News Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours must be posted and adhered to
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
The News Editor is responsible for news coverage, staying aware of campus activities, and planning approaches for covering stories that are important to the students and College community. Responsible for generating, assigning and editing content for their assigned pages.
Campus Life Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
The Campus Life Editor is expected to be continually aware of campus activities and club events in order to assign stories to writers. He/She should encourage writers to compose unique approaches to regular campus events in an effort to make the section as lively and appealing as possible.
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
A large portion of the Arts and Entertainment Editor involves making certain that entertainment articles are accurate, easy to follow and captivating for readers. The A & E Editor may cover areas such as art, dance, theater, music and film. As part of their responsibilities, he/she may attend live theater shows, films and concerts, and then review the performances in their articles.
Sports Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon
successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
A Sports Editor stays true to their namesake by covering all athletic events that occur on campus. This includes seven sports and eleven teams ( baseball, mens and women’s basketball, mens and women’s bowling, mens and women’s soccer, softball, volleyball and mens and women’s cross country).
This wide range of activities means the Sports Editor should have working knowledge of all aspects of sports. They should stay in contact with all teams and cover updates as they develop. They are also responsible for the content of the sports section online and in print as well as making sure stories are edited according to AP style and grammar.. Because of this, good leadership and management are important traits to have in this position much like the Campus Life Editor.
Photo Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship ($2,200 total for Fall/Winter Semesters-renewable upon successful performance review at the end of the Fall semester)
Photo Editors are in charge of all photographic content on the Schoolcraft Connection website and print newspaper. Most stories include some kind of visual aid and it is the Photo Editor’s job to ensure that these images meet the standards of the publication. This can include the process of creating, selecting, editing, positioning and publishing photos. A strong knowledge of camera operations, photography styles and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop) is needed to accomplish this effectively.
This position also requires the ability to manage staff photographers to ensure that deadlines are met on time and without error, much like Campus Life and Sports Editors, leadership and management skills are pivotal.
Layout and Design Editor
Time Commitment: 20 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $10/hr and $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
A Layout and Design Editor oversees and manages the look and feel of the Schoolcraft Connection printed publication and graphics utilized on the website to accompany content online. The Layout and Design Editor will work alongside the Editor-in-Chief on the placement of content and design of the publication. They are arranged in a compelling and easily-digestible nature that remains easily readable and aesthetically pleasing. In addition, they ensure that the website content is up to date and all formatting of content is clean and concise.
A qualified Layout and Design Editor should demonstrate a good understanding of Adobe Creative Suite especially InDesign. They should also have experience working under tight deadlines. Students interested in this position should have a portfolio available that demonstrates their work experience upon interview.
Production Artist
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $ 500 scholarship per semester ($1,000 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
This is an entry-level position for students hoping to get involved with designing the layout of the paper as well as other job functions involved in the newspaper production process. Managed by the Layout and Design Editor, designers work a flexible schedule to assist with layout of small sections of the paper and any additional design as needed. The Production Assistant serves as secondary designer for the Connection student newspaper for print/online publication.
Multimedia Editor
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; office hours to be posted and adhered to
Compensation: $1,100 scholarship per semester ($2,200 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
The Multimedia Editor creates, designs and implements online content for The Connection (www.schoolcraftconnection.com). A videographer is a jack of all trades- part producer, part director, part sound/camera man and part editor. You’ll be in charge of the images our viewers or public sees online, in presentations, or events.
You’ll work in the office, in remote locations, and as a part of the pre/post-production team (or individually) that edits and prepares video productions. Working in collaboration with the Video Production Club or SAO following scripts/storyboards or documentary projects of varying lengths and level of production value.
This role requires the ability to translate concepts into compelling storytelling that’s also on brand through aesthetic acuity and technical knowledge of shooting, lighting, sound (including equipment) and editing in a Mac/PC environment. in charge of publishing all video assignments to the Connection YouTube channel.
Social Media Manager
Time Commitment: 10 hours per week; flexible hours; Office hours to be posted and adhered to.
Compensation: $500 scholarship per semester ($1,000 per academic year) renewable upon successful evaluation at the end of the Fall semester.
A Social Media Manager manages all aspects of the Schoolcraft Connection online and social presence, utilizing Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A person in this position ensures that each account is active on a regular basis by keeping followers up to date with current stories, events and interviews written by staff. In addition, they will maintain and expand the accounts viewerships by interacting with followers. A person qualified for this position has experience and a general understanding of social media. They must possess the ability to post breaking news updates and provide the appropriate messaging of the content reported on the platform. This will spur interest and foster a closer community.
Staff Positions
Staff Writer/Photographer/Videographers
Time Commitment: Time commitment may vary based on assignment
Compensation: $20 stipend per published article or assignment
Staff writers, photographers and videographer positions provide opportunities for any student looking to contribute but don’t necessarily have the time commitment required like the editor positions have. Staff writers have the ability to write for any section (news, campus life, sports, arts and entertainment and opinions) about topics that interest them. They can freely move between each section to learn how to effectively write for each type of section. Staff writers will work alongside section editors and get mentored by them to better understand AP Style and story telling.
Staff photographers follow a similar structure as Staff Writers. Under the direction of the Photo Editor, they will attend events or schedule meetings to photograph the subjects of articles. Ideally staff photographers should be familiar with Adobe Creative Suite and understand how to crop and compose images.
Staffers can pick up assignments whenever they’d like. There’s no commitment until you pick one up. As a new staffer, you will be limited to one assignment at a time until you’ve demonstrated the ability to hit deadlines and fulfill the requirements of the assignments.
For more information about the Schoolcraft Connection call (734) 462-4422 or email [email protected]
