NBCU Academy collaboration will support journalism, engineering at NMSU
New Mexico State University is one of 13 new academic partners to receive grants from the NBCUniversal News Group. The collaboration will involve internships, training and development programs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. NMSU was awarded funding as part of a $2 million investment from NBCU Academy to support scholarships and equipment purchases in the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Journalism and Media Studies. “We are excited to join other universities and community colleges as a partner in the second year of this NBCU Academy initiative,” said Enrico Pontelli, dean of NMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences. “This diversity initiative by Comcast and NBCU News Group is invaluable to Hispanic-Serving Institutions like NMSU through scholarships, equipment and other resources that will help open doors for our journalism students and influence their future careers.” NBCU Academy is an innovative, multiplatform journalism training and development program. Along with scholarships and equipment, the program includes journalists, executives and managers from NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo as guest lecturers and mentors. The new 2022 cohort includes accredited engineering programs for the first time and expands the NBCU Academy’s reach to 30 campuses and beyond journalism to involve business, engineering, technology and sports programs. “This support will greatly enhance student success, retention of minority students and opportunities for hands-on learning experiences,” said Lakshmi Reddi, dean of NMSU’s College of Engineering. “NMSU engineering faculty, staff and students are very thankful for this gift and collaboration.” “Beyond equipment and scholarships, it’s fantastic that our students will have access to world class journalists and executives across NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo News,” said Amy Lanasa, interim department head for journalism and media studies. “This is a great opportunity for hands-on learning and mentorship for our students.” “The gift from NBCU Academy will have an immediate impact, propelling more of our students into the fields of journalism, media studies and engineering,” said Derek Dictson, NMSU Foundation president. “We are so grateful for the NBCUniversal News Group, their commitment to NMSU, and their commitment to providing equitable access among communities historically underrepresented in the news industry.” To learn more about the NBCU Academy and the academic partners visit https://www.nbcuacademy.com/academic-partners.
