Local radio station receives $15,000 grant

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) -KAWC received one of the six inaugural grants from the Local News Initiative of Southern Arizona.

In a press release, the initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona awarded KAWC $15,000 to establish a new KAWC Student Newsroom "in partnership with Arizona Western College (AWC)."

The press release mentions grant recipients " were selected by a committee comprised of diverse community volunteers from throughout Southern Arizona that considered the applicants’ capacity to produce and deliver news and information that community members need and their ability to reach traditionally underrepresented communities."

"Local media is best placed to deliver the stories and information a community needs to thrive. KAWC looks forward to helping build a pathway for students to become the next generation of journalists and media professionals in our community."

Lou Gum, KAWC News and Operations Director

The press release also mentions that AWC English professors Kevin Kato and Trisha Campbell collaborated with KAWC "to create more learning and storytelling opportunities to students" as well as coming up with the idea to "test run a summer program that combines classroom knowledge with professional development."

"Since I arrived here at AWC four years ago, I have been trying to get some kind of synergy going between my vision for Media Arts and podcasting and the KAWC studio and programming. Once I was able to get the Introduction to Podcasting course off the ground and filled with students, it seemed like the perfect time to start building a co-creation between the college and KAWC. Coincidentally, with a hint of kismet, Kevin Kato and I had been talking about how to build this program when KAWC reached out about a potential way to fund a literal pathway between the newsroom and the college and the college and the newsroom. From there, the grant process was underway and we couldn’t be more excited with several students already eager to apply."

Trisha Campbell, Professor of English

To learn more about KAWC receiving the grant, read the press release.