#UMassGives 2018

"The way to right wrongs is turn the light of truth upon them," said the journalist and civil rights crusader Ida B. Wells. A century later it remains just as vital that the press performs its constitutional role to inform the public and stand up for what’s true.

The UMass Amherst Journalism Department is proud to participate in #UMassGives 2018. As a department we stand by our ‘students-first’ philosophy. Therefore, any gifts that you contribute will go toward funding experiential learning opportunities for our students.

The Community Journalism Project brings students to Springfield, MA, to produce and teach content to students at the High School of Commerce, trading knowledge for truths from underrepresented communities that often get buried and a reminder that journalism is a social action that upholds democracy.

Last semester, the students in the Social Justice Journalism course worked with Hampshire County Jail inmates to tell multi-platform stories about the criminal justice system.

UMass journalism also sponsors the Amherst Wire, Amherst Independent and the Rebirth Project and funds student trips to publications like the New York Times and ProPublica and to journalism-based professional development conferences.

This summer we even hope to hold a summer program for underrepresented high school students from around Massachusetts.

We hope that with your gift, #UMassJournalism can continue building, encouraging and funding these student-focused and community-based experiences.

“Journalism is a public good, and democracy cannot thrive without it.” - Kathy Roberts Forde

Thank you!