NBCUniversal News Group Invests $6.5 Million For NBCU Academy At Clark Atlanta University And Select Universities And Colleges Across The Country

ATLANTA, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NBCUniversal News Group announces its launching of NBCU Academy on the campus of Clark Atlanta University and select universities and colleges across the country. The new, innovative, multiplatform journalism training and development program is designed for four-year university and community college students offering on-campus training and online programming in the communications field. 

NBCU Academy will invest a total of $6.5 million to the initiative which also includes a curated onsite curriculum for hands-on learning experience with world-class NBCU News Group journalists, funding for accredited journalism programs and scholarships.  

In addition to providing equipment and collaborating with professors to develop seminar courses, NBCU News Group journalists, executives and management from editorial and production teams across NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo will participate as guest lecturers to provide real-world insight and mentorship. 

"Words cannot express how appreciative we are to be selected to offer a world-class initiative such as NBCU Academy to our students at Clark Atlanta University," said Dr. George T. French Jr., president of Clark Atlanta University. "Such a partnership will support our vision to produce the best qualified, experienced and globally competitive students to not only enter the journalism and communications industry but to excel in it." 

In keeping with Comcast and NBCU News Group's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the multi-year partnership involves 17 academic partners including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and colleges with significant Latino, Asian, Black, Indigenous and tribal populations – reaching students from underrepresented groups including those from diverse racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, economic, and geographic backgrounds.

"Creating an inclusive culture for journalism that represents the communities we serve is at the very core of what we do," said NBCU 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."

Academic partners include:

• Clark Atlanta University
• Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, NY
• California State University, Fullerton in Fullerton, CA
• Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC
• Dallas College in Dallas, TX
• El Camino College in Torrance, CA
• Florida International University in Miami, FL
• Hampton University in Hampton, VA
• Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM
• Miami Dade College in Miami, FL
• Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD
• North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC
• Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College in Orangeburg, SC
• The City College of New York in New York, NY
• University of North Texas in Denton, TX
• University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, TX
• Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, LA

Clark Atlanta University's Mass Media Arts Department has an established legacy for producing award winning professionals in all areas of the communications industry to include; broadcast/print journalism, public relations, communications, acting and theatre. Some of CAU's Mass Media Arts Alumni include:

• Kenya Barris - award winning television, movie producer and creator ("Black-ish", "Girls Trip")
• Jacque Reid - Emmy®-award winning professional journalist (CNN, BET, New York Live)
• Bomani Jones - Sports Journalist (ESPN)
• Kenny Leon – Tony®-award winning director (Notable for his work on Broadway)

NBCU Academy builds on the foundation of NBC University, which NBC News launched nearly a decade ago as a training program for young journalism professionals at diversity journalism conferences and conventions, including at the Asian American Journalists Association, The National Association of Black Journalists, The National Association of Hispanic Journalists, The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Native American Journalists Association, the Online News Association and many more. NBCU Academy is an expansion of that initiative, offering new institutional partnerships. In June 2020, Comcast NBCUniversal announced a multi-year $100 million commitment to help address systemic racism and inequality. NBCU Academy is part of that pledge and focuses on providing tools, resources, and platforms for young, underrepresented voices. In July 2020, NBCU News Group announced the Fifty Percent Challenge Initiative, an aggressive action plan to turn the NBCU News Group employee base to be 50% women and 50% people of color.

About Clark Atlanta University
Established in 1988 by the historic consolidation of Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869).  Clark Atlanta University continues a 150-year legacy rooted in African-American tradition and focused on the future.  Through global innovation, transformative educational experiences, and high-value engagement.  CAU cultivates lifted lives that transforms the world.   

SOURCE Clark Atlanta University