Benedict Mass Communication Students Attend Inaugural HBCU Media Conference

Columbia, SC – Mass Communication students from Benedict College in historic Columbia recently joined peers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across South Carolina at the inaugural SC HBCU Media Conference. The event, held on May 5, 2026, focused on career readiness and opportunities for content publication in an age grappling with misinformation and artificially generated images.

Benedict College was well-represented at the conference by Mass Communication Professor Dr. Keisa Gunby, along with students Anaja Cotton, a sophomore from Conway, SC; Haley Freeman, a freshman from Columbia, SC; Kobe Jeffcoat from Columbia, SC; and Jaishaun Mardenborough, a senior from Virginia Beach, VA.

Organized by South Carolina State University, the conference saw Production Director Rolondo Davis and a student team spearhead its execution. Dr. Keisa Gunby remarked, “The inaugural SC HBCU Conference was a phenomenal experience to not only prepare students for careers in mass communications and journalism but to also network with scholars at other South Carolina schools. I was proud to see Benedict students participating in sessions, responding to workshop leaders and engaging with scholars from other campuses as well as participating in content creation.”

Attendees gained valuable insights from several media professionals. Among them was Sierra Artemus, a University of South Carolina broadcast journalism graduate. Artemus, currently a multimedia coordinator with the S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs, shared her extensive experience working both behind and in front of the camera at various Columbia television stations in the Midlands.

Other notable speakers included Dr. David Staten, co-founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of HBCU Times magazine; Elizabeth Mosely-Hawkins, a 2000 graduate of SC State and senior director of strategic communications with SC State University Relations office; and Kiera McGowen (Class of 2025).

The conference facilitated connections that could lead to future collaborations and partnerships with other colleges and universities such as Claflin, Voorhees, Morris, and Clinton College. Freshman Haley Freeman from Columbia noted, “Attending the South Carolina State HBCU Conference taught me that there aren’t any specifics in mass communication. Every skill that is prioritized in the journalism department is important. There will never be a dull non-learning moment in a business that is everybody’s business.”

The SC HBCU Media Conference is slated to become an annual event, promising continued opportunities for students in the Midlands region.