In January, TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism and Strategic Communication and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram will begin a partnership that will allow students’ work to be published in the newspaper.
Bob Schieffer announced the program Wednesday night during his opening statement at Fort Worth Remembers JFK, an event held to remember the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination.
“Our top students at the Schieffer School of Journalism will now have the opportunity to work on investigative projects launched by the Star-Telegram," said Schieffer, CBS News chief Washington correspondent. "In other words, they will be part of the Star-Telegram team, work with their professors here on campus but also work with the journalists and the editors of the Star-Telegram.”
Senior journalism students will be selected through a competition and take the Multi-Platform Capstone class, a course required to receive a journalism degree from the university, according to the Schieffer School website.
“The Star-Telegram and TCU have partnered before on many projects, but this promises to be the most important one we’ve ever attempted,” said Jim Witt, senior vice president and executive editor of the Star-Telegram.
Many leading journalism schools around the country have successfully adopted the practice of partnering with news organizations, Schieffer told the audience.
“Journalism schools have to be like teaching hospitals and that’s where I hope we’re headed at the Schieffer School. And that is to give them a good, sound education and academics but you also expose them to the real world of journalism,” he said. “The way to learn to be a reporter is to be a reporter and work with people who know more than you do.
The partnership will be funded by a grant from the Star-Telegram and TCU’s Office of Community Involvement and Service Learning.