NBCUniversal News Group will partner with California State University, Fullerton to launch NBCU Academy, a new, innovative, multiplatform training and development program for diverse student journalists. Cal State Fullerton is the only four-year university in California in the 17-campus NBCU Academy initiative.
The partnership announced Jan. 14 aims to narrow the opportunity gap for underrepresented students studying journalism. CSUF storytellers will gain access to industry internships and jobs, work one-on-one with NBCUniversal News Group professionals, and benefit from scholarships and global training.
The $500,000 two-year grant funds $250,000 in scholarships for students; $200,000 to support faculty and classes in which NBCUniversal News Group’s journalists will participate as guest speakers; and $50,000 in equipment, and digital editing and production tools for multimedia reporting.
“This grant reflects the consistent hard work and excellence of our journalism faculty and students, as well as the strong relationships our campus has nurtured for years with community and industry leaders,” said Bey-Ling Sha, dean of Cal State Fullerton’s College of Communications. “Working together, we’ll continue to enhance diversity in the journalism profession, which is so very important for ensuring that our Constitutionally-protected right to a free press remains a strong bulwark in defense of our nation’s democracy.”
NBCU Academy will invest a total of $6.5 million to the initiative, including scholarships in the 2021 academic year. The multi-year partnership with historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and colleges with significant Black, indigenous and people of color builds on Comcast NBCUniversal’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; its June commitment of $100 million to help address systemic racism and inequality and a July action plan to turn the NBCUniversal News Group employee base to be 50% women and 50% people of color.
“Creating an inclusive culture for journalism that represents the communities we serve is at the very core of what we do,” said NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde. “Through NBCU Academy, we have the opportunity to widen our extraordinary legacy by building on-ramps for a talented generation of journalists and storytellers who — for so long — may have been overlooked.”
About Cal State Fullerton: The largest university in the CSU and the only campus in Orange County, Cal State Fullerton offers 110 degree programs, and Division 1 athletics. Recognized as a national model for supporting student success, CSUF excels with innovative, high-impact educational practices, including faculty-student collaborative research, study abroad and competitive internships. Our vibrant and diverse campus is a primary driver of workforce and economic development in the region. CSUF is a top public university known for its success in supporting first-generation and underrepresented students, and preparing all students to become leaders in the global marketplace. Our It Takes a Titan campaign, a five-year $200 million comprehensive fundraising initiative, prioritizes investments in academic innovation, student empowerment, campus transformation and community enrichment. Visit fullerton.edu.