“The decision to increase foundation support [of the SJMC] was based on the school’s commitment to and success in serving students, especially Hispanic students, as well as its attention to practical and professional skills, especially in its emphasis on writing excellence,” stated Mike Philipps, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation.  “Our foundation’s trustees have been most impressed by FIU’s ideal combination:  a focus on the students with the intellectual rigor of a public research university,” he added.

Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, dean of the SJMC, sees the grant as another step forward in a constantly evolving partnership with the Scripps Howard Foundation and the E.W. Scripps Company.  “This new multimedia lab will become the nexus of our teaching as we bring our vision of the future of the media into reality in the training we provide our students,” she said. “Our partnership with Scripps is of paramount importance to our school and to our students,” she continued.  “The Scripps Howard Writing Center has already been of immeasurable assistance to our students in enhancing their language and writing skills.  The multimedia lab now provides students with opportunities to practice, experiment and create, and enables our faculty to be innovative in their teaching.”

The partnership between the Scripps Howard Foundation and the SJMC has developed and matured into its current form over the years, with many SJMC students taking part in internship opportunities with Scripps newspapers and television stations.  On October 3, 2007, the SJMC hosted 25 Scripps employees from various media backgrounds for the school’s first-ever Scripps Day.

Students were given the opportunity to hear from Scripps professionals in a long list of guest lectures and participate in professional resume critiques, as well.  The evening was capped by a keynote speech from Ken Lowe, CEO of the E.W. Scripps Company and the founder of HGTV.

The Scripps Howard Foundation is the corporate foundation of the E.W. Scripps Company.  Part of its mission is to advance the cause of the free press through support of excellence in journalism, quality education and professional development.