NBCUniversal partners with HBCUs to launch NBCU Academy

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NBCUniversal News Group says they are committed to diversity through a new initiative.

The media giant has created NBCU Academy, a new program that will help groom the next generation of journalists through hands-on training. The program will be available to students at several Historically Black colleges and universities.

Per a press release on Thursday obtained by theGrio, the program will also be offered at institutions serving mostly students of color and will include scholarships and access to NBCU News Group Journalists around the world.

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“Creating an inclusive culture for journalism that represents the communities we serve is at the very core of what we do,” said Cesar Conde, NBCU News Group Chairman. “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.”

The company will invest $6.5M into the program. And over the next two years, NBCU Academy will dish out $3.5M in scholarships.

“We want to make sure that we give broader people exposure to the impact that journalists can have,” said Conde in an interview, per Variety. “We want to address any challenges, any barriers, whether they be economic, geographical, or in some cases, have to do with access to opportunity and education. This is an industry that is so fast-changing that it is very competitive, not only to get into but to stay relevant in.”

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Some of the NBCU academic partners include: Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, NY, California State University, Fullerton in Fullerton, CA, Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA, Dallas College in Dallas, TX, Hampton University in Hampton, VA, Miami Dade College in Miami, FL, Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD, North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, The City College of New York in New York, NY and Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, LA.

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