More than 30 SIUC journalism students and 16 visiting professionals set up shop in Murphysboro last weekend with one goal in mind: to tell stories.

Sleep took a backseat to journalism, with some students waking up before 4 a.m. to capture images.

Professors in the SIUC School of Journalism created A Weekend in Murphysboro to give students an intense lesson in story gathering while providing them access to top professionals in the field.’ As students documented the lives of Murphysboro residents, industry professionals worked with the students to improve their skills.

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Mark Dolan, assistant professor of journalism, spearheaded the project.

‘I know from experience what a workshop like this can do.’ It had a huge impact on the students’ growth,’ Dolan said. ‘It was incredible.’ The students learned how to approach their subjects and their photography improved aesthetically and technically.’

Genna Ord, a sophomore from Flora, said the weekend workshop was a valuable opportunity she could not pass up.

‘I learned it takes more than 15 minutes to make a good picture,’ Ord said.

Gail Fisher, senior photo editor at National Geographic Magazine, was Ord’s editor for the weekend.

‘I heard that (Fisher) made students cry during editing, but she was really encouraging and it was an awesome experience to have someone like her coaching me,’ Ord said.

‘My style is to be pretty tough, because the mentors I had that were toughest on me taught me the most,’ Fisher said.

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Murphysboro residents were very receptive to the workshop and excited to participate in the project, Dolan said.’

‘They were very receptive as a community . . . from 17th St. BBQ providing food for our welcome reception to all the marquees around town welcoming us . . . they were very open,’ Dolan said.

Murphysboro mayor Ron Williams appointed Barbara Dallas, member of the Murphysboro tourism commission, to be the city’s project coordinator.

‘Barbara was our ‘fixer’ – she was a tremendous help,’ Dolan said.

Dallas said it was a privilege for Murphysboro to host such an educational and important project.

‘It was absolutely awesome for my hometown to be involved in such a wonderful teaching experience.’ It is an honor,’ Dallas said.

Students in Dolan’s class will spend the remainder of the semester editing images and audio for a Web site that will feature the project’s completed stories.

Devin Miller, a professional media graduate student from Carterville, was involved in the workshop and will help assemble the Web site.

‘We have to edit literally thousands of images and a lot of video over the next few months,’ Miller said.

Students plan to host a gallery exhibit in Murphysboro that will coincide with the Web site launch on Dec. 12.

‘I think this is going to be huge for the journalism department,’ Dolan said.

Miller said the lessons learned would stay with the students throughout their careers.

‘I was surprised how quickly students improved this weekend,’ Miller said. ‘I will never forget it for the rest of my life.’