Start an Society for Collegiate Journalists Chapter at your college or university!

To get started, read the information below. If you have questions, email us at scjnational@gmail.com. You can also visit our Forms page where you’ll find the necessary paperwork to get started.

So, why join the Society for Collegiate Journalists?

Well, for starters, the Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) is a National Society of Collegiate Mass Communications. It is the nation’s oldest organization designed solely to serve college journalists. SCJ was formed when Pi Delta Epsilon, which was founded in 1909, merged with Alpha Phi Gamma, which was founded in 1919.

Today SCJ has approximately 100 chapters nationwide.

The National Council provides each active chapters key services: an annual national contest; a biennium national convention comprised of chapter delegates and members; special forms of recognition, i.e., Medal of Merit Certificate, Presidential Citation, and two prestigious annual national awards– The McDonald Award for the outstanding chapter and the SCJ Student Journalist of the Year Award.

In addition, local chapters sponsor workshops, seminars and speakers intended to help their members improve their practice of journalism on the campus and prepare for professional careers after graduation.

SCJ has developed a series of articulations with a wide range of organizations serving common values. The first and oldest has been with the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) which provides their quarterly SPLC Report for our members. SCJ is an Associate Member of the First Amendment Congress and a member of the CMA Liaison group. The Society for Professional Journalists offers membership to SCJ participants upon graduation.

The recently formed relationship with the National Dean’s List provides a five hundred dollar scholarship for SCJ’s selected Student Journalist of the Year.