5:30 p.m. VPA Reception-Foyer
6:30 p.m. VPA Virginian of the Year/AP Banquet (additional ticket needed)
Saturday, April 9
9 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. Welcome and remarks from SPJ National President Paul Fletcher
9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Our right to know: The future of open access
10 a.m. VPA Contest Display
11 a.m. – noon Case Study in Tragedy: Hear from those affected by the August 2015 shooting of two WDBJ7 journalists and their interviewee as they discuss the practical and ethical considerations media organizations need to take when covering a tragedy in their own newsroom.
11 a.m. – noon So You Want to be An International Reporter: Hear From Those Who Have Done it and How You Can Do the Same
Noon – 1:45 p.m. VPA/AP Annual Meeting/Business Meeting/Awards Luncheon (additional ticket needed)
Noon-1:45 p.m. SPJ Annual Mark of Excellence Awards/Keynote Luncheon
Keynote Speaker: T. Rees Shapiro, Reporter for The Washington Post
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Using Unmanned Aerial Systems for Newsgathering
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. The State of the Mid-Atlantic News Media and the Climate of Today’s News Outlets
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sharpen Your Social Media Skills: How to Use It to Expand Your Reach and Attract More Readers
3 p.m. – 4 p.m. New Products and Existing Products – “Steal Our Ideas”
3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Stop Errors in Their Tracks: Copy Editing for Everyone
3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Ethics Advice: How to Act When You Find Yourself in Questionable Situations
5 p.m. – 6 pm VPA Reception & Cash Bar – Foyer
6 p.m. VPA Ad/News/Editorial Awards Banquet (additional ticket needed)
8:45 p.m. – 1a.m. Possible After Banquet Party