The next Fall Conference is Thursday, October 24, 2024.

Mark your calendars for the next Fall Conference Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at the University of Georgia’s Tate Student Center. It is located at 45 Baxter St, Athens, GA 30602. The event will feature several rounds of concurrent sessions covering a variety of topics of importance to scholastic journalists and advisers.

Register Here

Conference extras such as on-the-spot contests will also be offered, along with on-the-spot publication critiques with professionals.

Registration

The cost is $15 per student. Membership dues cover adviser registration fees. Registration will close Oct. 18, or when the the event reaches capacity. Complete the registration form.

Please note that a current 2024-2025 GSPA membership is required to attend the conference. Renew your membership or join GSPA. 

View the 2024 program here.

Access provided for people with disabilities. Please contact gspa@uga.edu or 706-542-5022 for specific requests.

Attendees visit exhibition booths during the Fall Conference Oct. 24. 2023.

Schedule

  • 8-9 Check-in

  • 9-9:45 Round 1

  • 10-10:45 Round 2

  • 11-11:45 Round 3

  • 11:45-1:15 Lunch (on your own)

  • 1:15-2 p.m. Round 4

  • 2:15-3 p.m. Round 5

Hotel

A limited hotel block has been established at the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Athens for Wednesday, Oct. 23 at a rate of $184/night. Parking is $10/day or $25/bus/day. Online booking is available here.

Transportation - *UPDATED 10/16/24 Please read these important changes communicated by UGA Parking Services*

  • Parking for cars and small vans (must fit into a standard space and be able to enter the parking deck with a clearance of 7 feet) is available at the Tate Center Parking Deck (or one of the other paid decks) at the daily rate. The surface lot at Tate is no longer available for anyone for any reason (no vans or minibuses), per UGA Parking Services.

  • If traveling by school bus or charter bus, please email gspa@uga.edu in advance to let us know if you haven't already. Buses must drop participants off and pick them up at the Tate Student Center. Parking Services is no longer allowing school buses or charter buses to park anywhere on campus. Bus drivers are responsible for locating their own parking off campus. Some grocery stores or big box stores may allow this.

  • Minibuses or larger vans only may drop off students with chaperones at the Tate Student Center and proceed to park at either the College Station Rd Park and Ride (Lot E23) or the UGA Jack Turner Softball Stadium, 2330 S Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA. View UGA bus schedules and plan ahead for anyone who may need to shuttle back to the Tate Student Center.

Conference Extras

  • On-the-spot Photography and Social Media contests (all publication types)

  • On-site Critiques (broadcast, news magazines, newspapers and news websites)

  • First Edition Competition (news magazine, newspapers and news websites)

  • Digital Photo Booth

  • Exhibitors

  • Swag and more swag!

Review the Refund Policy here.

Fall 2023: “Momentum”

Oct. 24, 2023 The conference theme of “Momentum” was suggested by Wes Harrison, a senior GSPA Ambassador from Marietta High School. “As journalists, we’re constantly moving: toward the next story, toward new mediums, toward new horizons. For all this, we need ‘momentum’ to keep us moving forward,” he noted.

Fall 2022: “Multifaceted”

Sept. 20, 2022 The theme of “Multifaceted” was suggested by GSPA Ambassador Disha Kumar of Northview High School.

Winter 2022: “Back Together”

Feb. 10, 2022 The theme was “Back Together,” a celebration of returning to in-person programming. The idea was suggested by GSPA Ambassador Anna Rachwalski of Midtown High School.