HU Launches Program to Produce Nation's Top Journalism Writers

Hampton, VA - The Hampton University Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications (SHSJC) has launched the new Academy of Writing Excellence (AWE) program, a non-credit program aimed at producing the finest college writers in the nation and fulfilling the strong need for diversity in the journalism and communications industries.

The program is targeted towards SHSJC students of all majors and consists of two tiers, the General AWE program and the Core AWE program. The General program is comprised of over 50 students who met the minimum entrance requirements to enter the program. The more select Core program consists of 17 students who demonstrated advanced writing skills when applying for the program. Both the General and Core AWE programs are aimed at enhancing students' writing skills, emphasizing accuracy, balance, fairness, high ethical standards, integrity, and the First Amendment.

"HU should be producing the leadership of today, that's our role," said Brown. "If you can write, you can write your own ticket."

All AWE program students will improve their skills in researching, reporting, editing and writing. Members of the Core program will attend weekly writing labs, monthly sessions with professional speakers such as Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute, and occasional trips to sites across the country to gain firsthand professional experience.

"Dean Tony Brown had the wonderful vision to create a writing center to help some of the best Scripps Howard communications and journalism students become some of the best writers in the nation," said Will Sutton, the visiting professional in SHSJC and head of the AWE program.

Working closely with the Scripps Howard Foundation, the program's students are also being paired with independent, professional mentors. Each student and his/her mentor will communicate regularly, with the mentor advising and critiquing the student's writing, helping with story ideas and offering career counseling.

In addition, Judy Clabes, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation, has awarded over $62,000 in grants for scholarship and retention to program participants. Core program students received grants ranging from $2,000 to $8,100 and General program students received grants ranging from $500 to $750.

To apply to the program, students submitted their application, resume, reference list, and an autobiography last semester. From that group, selected participants underwent additional testing - a written exam testing grammatical and punctuation skills, Associated Press (AP) style guidelines, and knowledge of current events, and a writing assignment judged by a panel of editors from the Daily Press, names and student information withheld. The Core AWE program students were then chosen based on the editors' decisions and test scores.