Welcome to the Course

The SXTXState.com project has provided students in the Graduate Program in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University with access to the South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival for the past twelve years. You have been selected to enroll in the class and receive a SXSW Interactive Badge. You are required to attend SXSW Interactive on March 8-17, 2019. During the spring semester, students will communicate and meet with the instructor via online and in-person methods. And, some preliminary preparation will be required prior to the beginning of the Spring semester. A final panel proposal will be made at the end of the Spring semester.

This is a wonderful opportunity to take a unique course that includes attendance at an event emphasizing many of the concepts covered in other classes and to see many of the big thinkers in media. Past years have included Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Chris Anderson of Wired, social media expert and author Gary Vaynerchuk, Craig Newmark of Craigslist, Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia, Web founder Tim Berners-Lee and many more. This year is already shaping up with some fantastic programming, including Atlantic correspondent Ta-Nehisi Coates, mayor of London Sadiq Khan, psychotherapist Esther Perel, founder of quantum computing startup Strangeworks, William Hurley (Whuirley) and more. Additional announcements are sure to come.

Students who have participated in the project have gone on to key roles in digital media companies including The New York Times, HomeAway, Spedfast, Austin American-Statesman and more. Some even work for SXSW. Check out the testimonials at www.cindyroyal.net/sxapp/testimonials. We want to use this event to reinforce learning and provide significant opportunities. Participation in the project can advance one’s knowledge, provide access to professionals and inspire a platform from which many future conversations can emerge.