Dunia Elvir, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, will visit the University of Arkansas this week.

Elvir, an award-winning primetime anchor at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, will speak to students in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media and is the keynote guest of the Lemke Journalism Project, a SJSM literacy training program for high school students interested in multicultural reporting.

She will also discuss challenges in journalism with the campus NAHJ and Society of Professional Journalists RSOs.

"Dunia's sweeping experience, from covering the recent wildfires, to the White House to international politics, will resonate with our students as they pursue journalism careers,'' said Gina Shelton, director of the Lemke Journalism Project, which is co-sponsoring the visit with the Center for Media Ethics and Literacy.

Since immigrating to the U.S. from Honduras at age 15, Elvir earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Phoenix. She completed a journalism fellowship at the University of Southern California and has spent more than three decades in print, radio and television, winning three Golden Mikes from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California and 13 Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards. 

"Dunia is a familiar and trusted source of news for the community in the greater Los Angeles area," said Ninette Sosa, assistant professor of practice and associate director of outreach for the School of Journalism and Strategic Media. "She comes prepared to share her life experience as a journalist from writing and reporting at a national and international level. Her mentoring and volunteerism are beyond reproach."

Last year, Elvir was recognized as part of an exhibit at Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington. The exhibit, honoring Latinas in journalism, featured a pair of high heels Elvir has worn covering protests, crime scenes and natural disasters. 

On Thursday, Feb. 27, she will speak with the campus NAHJ and SPJ in Kimpel 202H, from 5-6 p.m. Elvir, who anchors three nightly newscasts for Telemundo 52, will then observe the live recording of the campus UATV news and sports program.

She will speak to two classes on Friday, Feb. 28, and both are open to guests: 9:40 a.m. Television News Reporting I and Foundations for Video News at 10:45, in Kimpel 203H.

On Saturday, she will lead multiple sessions with more than 50 high school reporters in LJP. Those sessions in Kimpel Hall, starting at 9 a.m., are also open to the public. Each February and March, teens work with SJSM faculty, students and graduates on news projects, television roundtables and podcasts, and they produce The Multicultural News.

"Media literacy is a critical part of the mission of SJSM, and guests like Dunia highlight the importance of training and networking opportunities in our program," said Bret Schulte, director of SJSM.

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About NAHJ: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is an educational and charitable association dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanic students, professionals and educators in the field of journalism.