CNN Executive to Help Aspiring High School Journalists in U of A Program

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Ramon Escobar, vice president of talent recruiting and development for CNN Worldwide.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – CNN vice president Ramon Escobar will discuss diversity in journalism Saturday as part of the 15th anniversary of the U of A’s Lemke Journalism Project, a program for local high school students that aims at  making newsrooms more diverse.

Escobar, vice president of talent recruiting and development for CNN Worldwide, will give a free public lecture at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, in Kimpel Hall room 105.

Escobar is a Little Rock native now based in New York. He will also lead journalism sessions for the high school students on campus over the weekend. He plans to make a second trip to Kimpel later in the program, to follow up with the students.

“I know what it’s like to grow up Latino, the child of immigrants and in Arkansas,” Escobar said. “When I was young, I was fortunate to have mentors who encouraged and inspired me to pursue my dreams. I must return the favor and help others and be a shoulder for them to stand on now.”

Escobar’s parents are from Colombia and Spain. They moved to Little Rock, where Escobar attended Catholic High School. In his 25-year media career, he has had various roles, including executive vice president of network news for Telemundo and vice president responsible for live news programming at MSNBC. He joined CNN Worldwide in 2012.

LEMKE JOURNALISM PROJECT

Students attending a workshop in last year’s Lemke Journalism Project

Each February and March, aspiring journalists from high schools around the region spend Saturdays at the Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism where they focus on multicultural reporting. The majority of students have Hispanic heritage.

More than 30 students from six high schools are participating this year in the free program. They will produce a television show and write stories for a newspaper, The Multicultural News, which will be published and delivered by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in April.

U of A faculty members, students and outside professionals work with the students as coaches. Students will get special training this year in podcasting and photography.

“Nearly every member of our faculty has had a role in this far-reaching outreach project,” said Gina Shelton, director of the project. “We go out in the community seeking prospects, then show them the impact they can have through writing about things they live every day.”

With Escobar’s participation, “students can see that top jobs in journalism are open to minorities with modest backgrounds,” Shelton added.

Nearly 400 students have graduated from the Lemke Journalism program over the past 14 years. A gift by Tyson Foods Inc. helps cover costs and provides scholarships for students to enroll in the journalism department after graduating from high school.

Previous guests of the Lemke Journalism Project have included journalists with NPR, The Dallas Morning News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Denver Post, and Gannett News Service.