Students in the Digital Communications and Media program at Lethbridge College stand to benefit from a significant financial gift announced Monday.
Corus Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Global News, has gifted the college $52,000 to upgrade the existing Endeavour room to a state-of-the-art active-learning newsroom.
The money will also create two new student awards.
“We are thankful that Corus and Global News share our vision of preparing students for what happens next in their careers,” said Paula Burns, Lethbridge College president and CEO.
“They are leaders in the broadcasting industry and we are so fortunate for their endorsement of, and involvement in, our program.
“This partnership will help us produce the next generation of journalists needed for the rapidly-changing industry.”
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“Journalists who graduate from Lethbridge College are people who go on to tell the stories of Lethbridge and of southern Alberta,” said Troy Reeb, executive vice-president of broadcast networks at Corus Entertainment Inc.
“As a company who has been active, in one way or another, in Lethbridge for 64 years, it’s important for us to be able to give back and support that continued storytelling and the continued journalism in this community.”
The Endeavour room has been used primarily for print-based journalism instruction, and will be transformed into a multi-media setting that mimics a modern-day newsroom.
“It’s already a working newsroom, but to make it even more efficient for all of the different platforms…
“Students are now creating content for print, online, television, radio, and now 360 journalism, so it allows them to really be versatile in all of those formats,” said Kris Hodgson-Bright, chair of the School of Media and Design at Lethbridge College.
Corus Entertainment’s gift will also create the annual Global News Journalism Award, supporting two DCM students chosen based on a criteria like community involvement and financial need.
“As a proud Canadian broadcaster, the provision of quality local and national news is one of the most important things we do,” says Doug Murphy, president and CEO of Corus Entertainment. “At a time when truth and facts matter more than ever, it’s a privilege to support the next generation of journalism through this gift to Lethbridge College.”
Monday’s gift continues a long partnership with Global News and Lethbridge College.
Troy Reeb graduated from the Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism program in 1988 and has sponsored an internship since 2005 that provides a DCM student the chance to work alongside Global News team members in Toronto and Ottawa.
Reeb was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2003 and, most recently, was bestowed an Honorary Degree in April of 2019.
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