Tiger's Roar Summer Journalism Institute 

What will students gain? 

About the program

The Tiger’s Roar Summer Journalism Institute is a virtual summer media camp for middle and high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in journalism or who just want to know more about media and media production.

The institute is a 7-day, hands-on online summer program that will expose students to:

We have recruited talented journalists to coordinate the program and offer web-based instruction to these students, who will produce articles and multimedia content that will be published on social media and TigersRoar.com, the website for Savannah State’s independent student newspaper.

The Tiger’s Roar Summer Journalism Institute is sponsored by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at Savannah State University.


Our instructors

Velvet S. McNeil

Velvet McNeilVelvet has been privileged during her 20-year professional career to do work that she is passionate about, including shooting photos, teaching young students and showcasing her artwork in a gallery. 

Velvet is an award-winning photojournalist who has photographed everything from the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks to community street fairs. She did much of her visual journalism as a staff photographer for The Detroit News, however, her work also has appeared in national publications.

Prior to earning her Masters of Fine Arts degree in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design, Velvet obtained her undergraduate degree in studio art and secondary art education at Marymount College. 

Velvet currently teaches communications courses at Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Email: mcneilv@savannahstate.edu

Tiffany Alexander

Tiffany AlexanderTiffany Alexander is an award-winning journalist and author who has handled national and international news coverage including the death of Pope John Paul II, the wars in Iraq and Syria, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2008 and 2012 elections of President Barack Obama.

Tiffany is the author of eight books and creator of the Children’s Band picture books series, which teaches preschoolers and early readers lessons in money management, work ethic, arts and culture, health and fitness, and overcoming life's obstacles.

Tiffany teaches writing, communications, and journalism short courses to elementary and secondary school students. She also teaches international storytelling, media ethics, and creative writing at the university level. Email: alexandert@savannahstate.edu

She enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, and watching 70s and 80s television sitcoms.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

During the 2021 Tiger’s Roar Summer Journalism Institute you will learn best practices in writing, photography, videography, and other elements of working in the media.

No. The Summer Journalism Institute is an online, virtual program that can be attended from anywhere. You do not need to be in Savannah. 

Students ages 14-17 are invited to apply by visiting bit.ly/trsummer.

The program is free.

The program will run June 17-25.

The Tiger’s Roar Summer Journalism Institute is sponsored by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at Savannah State University.

If you have questions, please contact Terry Manning at manningt@savannahstate.edu.