COLLEGE PARK, Md. – A Merrill student-driven multimedia project – Stories Beneath the Shell – has been awarded an $11,000 grant by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
The “Maryland Moving Forward” grant will let Merrill Journalists continue to produce multiplatform pieces focused on stories that might not otherwise be told at the University of Maryland.
SBS Executive Director Jatara McGee ’15 says, “The SBS News executive board is so honored to be awarded a Moving Maryland Forward grant. We’re beyond excited to expand and improve our organization in the semester and year ahead.”
SBS News is a web publication started by six sophomore Merrill Journalists this past school year. Inspired by their Intro to Multimedia Skills class, they got together over winter break this past school year and in just one weekend launched the SBS website – http://www.umdsbs.com/.
Since it’s launch, more than three dozen students have contributed to the site and published more than sixty stories. The multiplatform stories have included videos, text and audio slideshows.
Merrill lecturer and photojournalist Bethany Swain serves as faculty advisor for SBS News. She says
the money will primarily be used for TV gear, including DSLR cameras, so the students can have the tools they need to produce the multimedia pieces for the site.
Education Abroad Program Focuses On Press Freedom
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Philip Merrill College of Journalism students (non majors and students from other colleges as well) have a unique opportunity to study in Latvia this coming Winter Term. Led by Pulitzer Prize winner and Merrill College Senior Lecturer Deborah Nelson, this three week session offers students the opportunity to study how freedom of the press is faring 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union.
In a recent interview, Nelson explained the program and how students can apply:
1) Tell me about this new opportunity for our Merrill Journalists and other interested students to study in Latvia.
Everyone has to take a research methods course. Why not do it over three weeks in Europe this January?
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