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NBCUniversal News Group Invests $6.5 Million for NBCU Academy at Clark Atlanta University and Select

NBCUniversal News Group announces its launching of NBCU Academy on the campus of Clark Atlanta University and select universities and colleges across the country. The new, innovative, multiplatform journalism training and development program is designed for four-year university and community college students offering on-campus training and online programming in the communications field. 
 
NBCU Academy will invest a total of $6.5 million to the initiative which also includes a curated onsite curriculum for hands-on learning experience with world-class NBCU News Group journalists, funding for accredited journalism programs and scholarships.  
 
In addition to providing equipment and collaborating with professors to develop seminar courses, NBCU News Group journalists, executives and management from editorial and production teams across NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo will participate as guest lecturers to provide real-world insight and mentorship. 
 
“Words cannot express how appreciative we are to be selected to offer a world-class initiative such as NBCU Academy to our students at Clark Atlanta University,” said Dr. George T. French Jr., president of Clark Atlanta University. “Such a partnership will support our vision to produce the best qualified, experienced and globally competitive students to not only enter the journalism and communications industry but to excel in it.” 
 
In keeping with Comcast and NBCU News Group’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the multi-year partnership involves 17 academic partners including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and colleges with significant Latino, Asian, Black, Indigenous and tribal populations – reaching students from underrepresented groups including those from diverse racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, economic, and geographic backgrounds.
 
“Creating an inclusive culture for journalism that represents the communities we serve is at the very core of what we do,” said NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde. “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.”

Ray Cornelius is one of Atlanta’s newest entertainment writers and media personalities. His arts and entertainment website, www.raycornelius.com spotlights the latest in “positive” African-American celebrity news and was established in 2012. Since that time Cornelius has covered a myriad of red carpet premieres, award shows and Atlanta-based films including Tyler Perry’s Temptation, The BronzeLens Film Festival, The Trumpet Awards, and The Steve Harvey’s Neighborhood Awards just to name a few. He has also interviewed a who’s who list of today’s top singers, actors and reality stars. With nearly 20 years of media experience, Cornelius has also worked as an associate producer for the Emmy-winning public affairs program, ATL Insider and with such award shows as The Soul Train Awards, The Trumpet Awards and BET Hip-Hop Awards.