SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - May 5, 2011) - The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) today announced Michigan State University's sponsorship of J Camp, a multicultural high school journalism workshop. Forty-two high school students from across the country will be selected to participate in the five-day program hosted by the university located in East Lansing, Michigan, from August 6-11, 2011.
"The School of Journalism at Michigan State is honored to host the journalistic passion and tradition that J Camp creates," said Dr. Lucinda D. Davenport, Director of the School of Journalism at Michigan State University. "Our goals and AAJA's goals are similar -- to encourage and develop the best journalists for tomorrow. Our motivations and aspirations to train students into successful industry leaders will make this partnership even stronger in the years ahead."
Since the program started in 2001, a total of 419 of the nation's brightest young people have graduated from J Camp, which endeavors to develop the next generation of journalists.
Lorene Yue, J Camp co-director and online reporter for Crain's Chicago also stated, "AAJA's J Camp program strives to give students a taste of journalism and equip them with the skills they need to ask questions, process information and communicate effectively. Together with Michigan State University's strong journalism program, the J Camp Class of 2011 is bound to succeed in any field."
The camp brings together a diverse group of high school students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds to sharpen their journalism skills and work together in a unique learning environment. The curriculum consists of hands-on training with leading professional journalists, lectures from some of the industry's biggest stars, and reporting field trips.
"We are proud to work alongside MSU to help nurture young journalists who in years to come will contribute to the national conversation," said Angie Lau, program co-director and anchor at Bloomberg's Chicago bureau. She added: "As technology expands our access to information, we will need journalists to report and provide context. With Michigan State University's state-of-the-art journalism department and its talented faculty, AAJA's J Camp hopes to inspire the next generation of journalists to carry on this important task."
About AAJA
The Asian American Journalists Association is a non-profit professional and educational organization with approximately 1,400 members and 21 chapters across the United States and in Asia. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA's mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and National Association of Black Journalists. For more information, visit www.aaja.org.