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Photo Credit: NBCU
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NBCU Academy, the program designed to prepare diverse students for news and media careers

There are currently 30 academic partner institutions in this program, with the Community College of Philadelphia among the group that has joined most recently.

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In an effort to diversify the media industry across the United States, Comcast’s NBCUniversal News Group launched a new journalism training and development program for college students.

NBCU Academy is a multi-platform program that provides four-year university and community college students with scholarships, education, on-campus training, online programming and funding for accredited journalism programs. It also gives them access to world-class journalists from NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo News.

Upon the program’s launch in 2021, NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde noted the impact the new program could have. 

“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,” he said

The program’s 2021 cohort included a partnership with a group of 17 educational institutions. This year, 13 new institutions have joined the initiative, bringing the NBCU Academy reach to 30 campuses nationwide.

One of this year’s new partners is the Community College of Philadelphia. 

Through this partnership, CCP received a grant to provide scholarships to full-time students interested in tech careers in the media industry and who are pursuing associate degrees in the fields of computer information systems - informational technology, computer science, cybersecurity, network administration, or digital video production. 

Dr. Pam Carter, dean of the Business & Technology Division at CCP, detailed how this partnership can be beneficial.

“As a Minority-Serving Institution in one of the poorest large cities in the nation, we are committed to providing open-access to quality education and opportunities to build and advance careers. Partnering with NBCU Academy enables us to further our efforts,” she explained. 

“The design of the scholarships will facilitate students’ ability to pursue their studies on a full-time basis, allowing them to more quickly reach their goals for graduation and employment success. Of equal importance, student participation in the NBCU Academy will expand their knowledge of technology-focused careers in the media industry and provide valuable career development opportunities with a focus on making a difference in the diverse communities they live in,” added Dr. Carter. 

This year, STEM programs will also be introduced into the academy, as a way to grow its geographic footprint while diversifying its student population. 

Dr. Mellissia Zanjani, vice president for Institutional Advancement and executive director of the CCP Foundation, highlighted how the new scholarship will allow an avenue to reimagine the connection between journalism and STEM. 

“This partnership will equip our students with the tools needed to become trusted messengers and truth tellers in the communities they serve,” she said. “Now more than ever, we need journalists and media professionals who not only have hands-on training, but integrity, to ensure that they are amplifying voices from every community.”

In total, NBCU Academy will invest $2 million in grants toward building sustainable relationships to support all the new partner institutions, as well as enrich the online experience and its various signature pipeline programs.

All this is done while keeping diversity and inclusion as a core driver.

“Through NBCU Academy, we’re forging a generation of diverse journalists that are ahead of the curve on media technologies and have a deep understanding of a range of industries.”

Last year, NBCU Academy distributed $6.5 million in funding to campuses across the nation, with half of it going directly to students. It also established NBCUAcademy.com, and launched a new fellowship program in partnership with NBC News Studios, called Original Voices

To learn more about the NBCU Academy, click here.

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