The MediaNews Group Journalism and Diversity Partnership
This $59,000 partnership between Chico State and MediaNews Group is divided into four parts, which are described in detail below:
Outreach visits
Dave Waddell, faculty adviser to The Orion, Chico State's award-winning student newspaper, laid the groundwork for this partnership when he went on outreach visits spring 2006. He took a sabbatical and visited 37 schools in California to talk to teachers and their students about journalism.
"It was an invigorating experience to see the excitement they have for journalism," he said of the experience. "There are definitely some schools with great teaching and great journalism. I want to focus on them and build relationships."
Waddell will continue these outreach visits during the time of the partnership, in addition to his teaching duties in Chico State's journalism department.
Scholarships
High school and community college transfer students can apply for five $1,000 journalism scholarships for entrance into Chico State in fall 2007.
Internships
Internships at MediaNews Group newspapers will be available for current Chico State minority journalism students to apply for. Potential interns can also apply for five $1,000 internship scholarships. For more information on this year's interns, see Current participants.
Mentoring from professional journalists
The final aspect of the partnership will involve an editor, reporter or photojournalist from a MediaNews Group paper coming to Chico State for several days each spring. The journalists will critique The Orion, work with journalism students in classes and take part in forums or other special journalism events.
