NBCU Academy partners with School of Communication, offers resources, partnership and funding

The NBC peacock logo and three-note chimes have become synonymous over the years. Credit: Alexey Novikov Dreamstime via TNS

Ohio State’s School of Communication launched a partnership with NBCU Academy — a journalism and content training program to connect the classroom and the media industry — in January that will offer professional opportunities for undergraduate students in journalism and other communication-related fields of study.

According to a Jan. 26 press release, the partnership will provide students with internships, professional development opportunities, NBCU-affiliated speakers and numerous scholarships that prioritize diversity and inclusion within the field. 

Hollie Hinton, a director within the Office of Corporate Relations, said in a statement she helped represent the university alongside the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in 2020 to begin a relationship with NBC.

In fall 2020, the Office of Corporate Relations and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted NBCUniversal’s virtual webinar Driving Change, which focused on how corporations were achieving success in diversity, equity and inclusion, Hinton said. 

“Our aim was to foster a relationship with NBCU and Comcast Corporation for potential alignment areas to support Ohio State and our students,” Hinton said. “As NBCUniversal launched the NBCU Academy, we collectively found that there could be an ideal alignment with their programs and the breadth and depth of what we have here at Ohio State as a large public university and land grant institution.”

According to its website, NBCU Academy offers free online training and digital content in conjunction with hands-on programs for “select campuses.” 

Hinton said Ohio State is one of 15 new NBCU academic partnerships across the country this year — including University of Arizona, University of Central Florida and University of Missouri. The academy has partnerships with 45 schools in total, according to its website. 

“Each one of NBCU Academy’s academic partnerships is unique,” Hinton said. “Ohio State and NBCU Academy have created current use scholarships for students. NBCU Academy links students from the classroom to the media industry and the newsroom, with a focus on training journalism and content creation.”

Osei Appiah, a professor within the School of Communication, said each scholarship provided by the NBCU Academy is worth $5,000, and it plans to distribute roughly 20 of the scholarships in the next couple of years.

The NBCU Academy Scholarship will be looking for examples of an applicant’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and invites applicants to “submit evidence of their interest in creating content that provide insight into contemporary challenges facing diverse communities,” according to the 2023-24 School of Communication scholarship application. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors who demonstrate academic achievement and an interest in diversity, equity and inclusion.

“The financial assistance is particularly important,” Appiah said. “Students are working multiple jobs in this day and age trying to help fund their education, and it becomes very challenging when you’re working 20, 30 to 40 hours a week while still trying to do well in school.”

In addition to providing students with financial relief, the partnership will also be hosting various virtual and in-person events. One example being their Next Level Summit event for industry leaders and undergraduate students on March 22. 

NBCU Academy also hosts an Equity Lab which “takes a reflective look inside the industry, offering original reporting and perspective pieces analyzing workplace trends, journalism best practices and challenges to the status quo,” according to its website. 

Undergraduate students within the College of Engineering who have an interest in media technology can receive benefits from this partnership and take advantage of the new scholarships, according to a College of Arts and Science news release.

Appiah said he thinks this partnership will help diversify the communications industry. 

“We believe that NBCU is committed to diversifying the pipeline of talent,” Appiah said. “NBCU has become a leader in the DEI space, and an example for other companies to follow. In my opinion, they’re truly changing the face of the industry.”