Graduation Ceremony Marks Completion of Journalism Course
On Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 19 aspiring journalists celebrated their completion of an introductory journalism course with a graduation ceremony, held at the US Interests Section (USINT), Havana. The course provides an introduction to the key principals of journalism, including ethics and basic journalistic standards, methods of reporting for different media, and the use of different sources of information.
Content for the introductory journalism course is delivered remotely by the International Media Center (IMC) at Florida International University (FIU). Modules cover radio broadcasting, community reporting, and edition of articles, with input from renowned professors from the USA as well as from Argentina, Spain and Costa Rica. The course provides aspiring journalists with the foundations for reporting, and challenges them to seek new audiences for their work. Previous graduates have been featured in international publications including the New York Times, El Comercio, Lima and El Mercurio, Santiago.
The graduation ceremony was led by Gloria Berbena, USINT Public Affairs Officer, who recognized the commitment made by many participants in completing the course. USINT Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Charles "Chip" Barclay was guest of honor at the ceremony and prior to presenting graduates with their diplomas, urged them to continually strive towards objective and intelligent reporting. Directors and course professors from the IMC in Miami conveyed their congratulations via digital video conference. The 19 individuals who graduated today join the ranks of approximately 450 who have already participated in the introductory journalism course.