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A Second Class for N.Y. Times Journalism Institute

Thirty students from 19 historically black colleges and universities will have a chance to hone their skills as journalists when they undergo two weeks of intensive training at the New York Times Institute at Dillard University in New Orleans May 16-30.

The Times institute is heading into its second year as a sought-after opportunity for young journalists to learn under the direction of reporters, editors and photographers from The New York Times, The Boston Globe and the Times Co.?s Regional Newspaper Group. Members of the class were selected from among dozens of applicants from HBCUs. The institute is run in cooperation with the Black College Communication Association, the organization of faculty and student media advisers who work with young journalists at black colleges.

"The partnership The New York Times has fostered with BCCA is a generous and honorable gesture," said Valerie White, BCCA president and an assistant professor of journalism at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. "It's a win-win situation. I'm proud to know that 30 students at HBCUs have competed successfully and will be recipients of top-notch instruction and training. We at BCCA embrace this project and join with The New York Times in working to supply more journalists of color to our nation's newsrooms."

William Schmidt, associate managing editor of resources and planning for The New York Times, added, "We are delighted to welcome this new class to The New York Times Student Journalism Institute. They represent some of the best and the brightest among journalism students, and we at The Times are pleased that this pioneering collaboration with HBCUs continues to grow and attract students from more and more colleges."

Students in the institutes will work under deadline pressure preparing stories that will be posted on a Web site (www.nytimes-institute.com) and reproduced in a newspaper at the end of the two weeks of training.

The institute is an all-expenses-paid opportunity for the students who are selected. The Times pays transportation costs. Room and board at Dillard are free to the students. Students also receive a stipend.

Students in the class of 2004 are:

ALABAMA STATE

Quebe Novell Merritt

BENEDICT COLLEGE
Wafeeq I. Zarif

CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Bryant Perkins

CHEYNEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Andre L. Taylor

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
Nelann O. Taylor

DILLARD UNIVERSITY
Earlisssa Granger
Shearon D. Roberts

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
Kaye Dallas
Gabrielle G. Finley
Jennifer Jefferson
Russell Nichols
Garrison L. II Vereen

GRAMBLING UNIVERSITY
Michael R. Grant

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
Fia Curley
Janell Hazelwood

HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Maya Gilliam
Ashley Kelly
Rhasheema A. Sweeting
Courtney Wade

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY
Crystal Quarles

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY
Melinda A. Williams

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
Jennifer Jiggetts
Darnell Mayberry

N.C. A&T STATE UNIVERSITY
Gregory Bond

N.C. CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Denita Smith

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
Nikki P. Easter

SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Eric Patrick Curl

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Douglas W. Toussaint Jr.
Brandi Worley

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Sherpri G. Giles

Posted April 9, 2004