Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication is partnering with The Diversity Pledge Institute (DPI) to launch a series of initiatives to help improve diversity, inclusion and retention throughout the journalism and strategic communication industries.
Under the collaboration, the Cronkite School and DPI will train and mentor students to succeed in finding job opportunities, getting hired and growing their careers, and will implement a week-long news bootcamp for students.
“Our collaboration with The Diversity Pledge Institute will help advance Cronkite’s goals of becoming a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion while pushing for more representation throughout the journalism and strategic communication industry,” said Cronkite School Dean Dr. Battinto L. Batts Jr. “We’re honored to work with an organization devoted to creating more diverse working environments in newsrooms and strategic communication spaces.”
The partnership will also include developing a Cronkite Diversity Leadership Training fellowship program for faculty, students, newsroom leaders and journalists.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with the Cronkite team to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives at the university and across the country,” said DPI founder Larry Graham. “Partnerships like these are a massive win for journalists seeking relevant training to transform the industry and news consumers everywhere. We can’t wait to get started.”
In addition, DPI will work with the Cronkite School to develop executive education courses and events in Phoenix, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., as well as internationally. The program will advise on curriculum for diversity in media programs that are part of Cronkite partnerships and develop courses that emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Cronkite School and DPI will roll out these initiatives over the next two years.
About the Cronkite School
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier professional journalism programs and has received international acclaim for its innovative use of the “teaching hospital” model. Rooted in the time-honored values that characterize its namesake — accuracy, responsibility, objectivity, integrity — the school fosters journalistic excellence and ethics in both the classroom and in its 13 professional programs that fully immerse students in the practice of journalism and related fields. Arizona PBS, one of the nation’s largest public television stations, is part of Cronkite, making it the largest media outlet operated by a journalism school in the world. Learn more at cronkite.asu.edu.
About The Diversity Pledge Institute
The Diversity Pledge Institute is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) dedicated to research, analysis and education related to diversity in journalism. Our goal is to solve the diversity pipeline problem; improve retention rates associated with diversity, equity and inclusion; and support journalists’ career growth. We prioritize peer-to-peer training and career learning for journalists while offering ongoing organizational support for diversity and inclusion efforts in media.