Biola's investment of time and money in Saturday’s Biola Media Conference speaks volumes about the university’s values. First, Biola claims to “impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.” The conference is one step in that direction. It familiarizes students with what's happening in the world outside of Biola and prepares them for media careers better than classroom lectures can. Students cannot impact the world without knowing what is happening in the world.

Second, the media conference testifies that Biola is serious about putting its name on the proverbial map. By engaging secular industries, practices and professionals, Biola proves its intention to earn respect in the world without compromising its values.

Finally, the media conference sends a message to students: Biola is able and willing to give us a quality education. The school may not have the bankroll or connections — yet — to attempt such events across the curriculum, but the media conference ought to encourage us. Biola has our best interest in mind, and it's willing to make sacrifices and take risks for us.

At a campus where the “Biola Bubble” is a phrase that’s often tossed around only half-jokingly, it’s reassuring to know that the university is making a conscious effort to familiarize its students in the concepts and strategies of today’s media-immersed world.

It is exciting to see how much attention and prominence the event has gained since the first conference met on the grass outside Calvary Chapel 15 years ago. About 600 people attended the conference. That number attests to people’s faith in the quality of the event. Ticket prices weren’t cheap; even early registration cost $135. But, evidently, students and faculty were willing to pay, and those outside the Biola community deemed the event worth it.

While the event was informative for anyone who attended, it pertained most directly to those in media-related majors. Film/radio/TV, communications and journalism majors accounted for 10 percent of Biola’s student population in 2009, according to the registrar; happenings in the media world pertain to a good portion of the school.

Biola doesn’t have to stop there. Students in other majors need the opportunity to network and to hear from acclaimed professionals in their respective fields. What would it look like if Biola hosted a conference with successful businessmen or with renowned artists?

We urge other departments within Biola to begin strategizing to create something comparable to the Biola Media Conference.