UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two recent Penn State graduates were selected to participate in a weeklong program with intensive training and mentorship workshops intended to increase the presence of Black men in newsrooms across the country by helping them be better prepared for the industry.
Mitchell Brown and Denzel Massaley will be part of the 20-member class for the Ed Bradley Journalism Fellowship, which will be conducted June 8-14 at New York University. Named for respected journalist Ed Bradley, a Pennsylvania native best known for his work on “60 Minutes” and with CBS News, the fellowship is coordinated by NYU in partnership with the Dow Jones News Fund.
Program instruction, housing, meals and transportation costs to attend the workshop are provided for every participating student.
Brown and Massaley earned their bachelor’s degrees in journalism and telecommunications, respectively, during spring commencement exercises in early May at Penn State.
Brown, from Philadelphia, completed an internship with KTTV-TV in Los Angeles during his time as a student. He also completed a visual content internship with Penn State’s strategic communications office, producing content for the University’s social media channels that aligned with specific initiatives and working to increase social engagement through video storytelling.
Along with his classroom work, he also serves as a reporter, producer and on-air talent for “Culture Central,” a TV show produced at part of the student-driven Penn State Network Television (PSN-TV).
Massaley, also from Philadelphia, worked at WPSU between his sophomore and junior years and later worked for C-NET, Centre County’s Government and Education Access Network, as a production intern and producer.
His time at WPSU offered valuable experience honing his writing skills and introducing him to audio production.
After getting hands-on experience in Washington, D.C., as part of a group of students from the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications who met with media leaders and reported on timely topics, Massaley discovered the News Lab at Penn State. That led to work with a small group of students getting a podcast about community news, “Centre Access,” up and running this spring. He sharpened his writing and learned to grab a listener’s or reader’s attention as a result.
Both recent graduates envision initial career paths in journalism, helping share community news and tell stories that impact people. Along with their existing experience, the fellowship provides the opportunity to hone the skills necessary to succeed.