As student media advisers we constantly put students first, after all it is “student” media. However, what’s equally as important as putting students at the forefront of the media program is defining the culture that you want to sustain.

One of the most important questions an adviser needs to ask him or herself is “what do I want this program to be?” Is it going to be a place where only accelerated students come to write and prosper? Is it something that has a lot of prerequisites to take part? Is it exclusive? Is it open? For me, my program is founded on one of the core values that was ingrained in my mind during my tenure at Marquette University, Cura Personalis, or care for the whole person. The culture of the Tom Tom is based on the premise that any and all students are welcome to tell stories. I felt it was important that any student who wanted to experience journalism and the incredible power it has, has the opportunity to do so. This means that I also have a tremendously diverse group of skill sets, motivations, ideas, strengths and weaknesses. This diversity lends itself to a professional newsroom atmosphere where students are able to specialize in methods of storytelling, while also being able to dabble and experience others. That isn’t all my culture is about either.

This year, my staff took to the idea of “The Breakfast Club”; they love being able to play off of the uniqueness of each person, yet still managing to promote the awesomeness of the whole group (when those unique parts come together). This slowly developed from a massive culture shift three years ago when I was hired to take over the esteemed and traditional program. Upon my hiring we developed the mantra “Breaking News, Breaking Tradition” in an effort to show we intend to be fast paced, innovative and strong. We wanted to show we were going to be the difference in students, staff, and community members’ lives. Accomplishing this, however, is no easy task. It required getting a lot of buy in and support, as well as a mental shift that is just now fully solidified on staff.

We function under the guise of a “fraternal organization” in that we place the pillars of fellowship, scholarship, leadership and service at the forefront of the culture of the Tom Tom. By doing this, we’ve been able to grow and sustain members, shift the paradigm of media and news consumption at ACHS, place an emphasis on togetherness and uniqueness, as well as provide an outlet for all students to find a place to call home. Again, our culture is one founded on the idea of care for the whole person, and here are some tips on how you can do the same.

1. Reflect on who you are as an adviser, as well as who you are as a person. I quickly fell back on the values I learned from my experiences at Marquette University and my fraternity, Kappa Sigma. Those values guide much of my decision making and I knew they would be critical to my success as an adviser, and, therefore, my program’s success.
2. Map it all out. I’m a visual person, so I like to draw out this whole idea of culture. To me, it is the most important component of a school, so it must be essential then to my program. I filled multiple white boards with points, arrows and ideas that lead to the focus of the culture of the Tom Tom.
3. Be flexible. It will be a recurring theme for new advisers, and experiences ones. Media constantly evolves, and so do your students. As a result, your culture should evolve, and, hopefully, get increasingly stronger in the process.
4. Put the kids, and you, at the center. What makes student media so cool, and kind of an enigma at the same time, is that it becomes home. Your role as an adviser expands far beyond the traditional, dictionary definition. Expect that part of the culture include social time, service opportunities, excellence in scholarship, and an opportunity for leadership and growth.
5. Make time to discuss your culture with administration. Your program culture also impacts the school and the culture as a whole. Be open and honest with your administration as to what you want, why you want it, and how you will accomplish it. Communication is critical to a successful culture.
6. Relationships are critical to culture. No matter how you define your staff culture, relationships are integral to its success. Make sure to communicate how these work and how there are potentially different types and levels. One of the most important things a new adviser can do is establish professional relationships among the staff members so they can learn to function beyond a peer-to-peer relationship.
7. Post it. Make sure the culture you want is visible, both literally and figuratively. You and your “boss” (it’s what I kindly call my EIC) need to lead by example. On top of that, post key words and traits of your culture around your classroom and lab. The more visible the culture, the more solidified it becomes.
8. Have fun. Culture isn’t all business; it should be fun. All work and no play will make all advisers dull boys and girls… And their staffs too.

Culture is critical to program success, so make sure it’s a priority to define yours before the school year arrives.

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Patrick Johnson, CJE,  is the news magazine adviser at Antioch Community High School in Illinois.  He is a member of the KEMPA board and director of the KEMPA Summer Journalism Workshop.  His blog focuses on issues affecting new journalism advisers.