DETROIT – Chevrolet and the National Newspaper Publishers Association recently hosted a ceremony to celebrate the fourth year of the award-winning Discover the Unexpected program.
The annual program has awarded nearly a half-million dollars in scholarships and stipends since its inception in 2016. It began with a select number of schools and, based on the overwhelming response, the submission process was opened to all students in their sophomore through senior years at historically black colleges and universities with an interest in journalism, communications, mass media or visual arts.
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The 2019 DTU journalism fellows were Tedarius Abrams (Bethune-Cookman), Tyla Barnes (Hampton University), Elae Hill (North Carolina A&T), Miana Massey (Howard University), Emani Nichols (Morehouse College) and Sharon Joy Washington (Florida A&M).
The eight-week fellowship kicked off in Atlanta and culminated in Detroit at General Motors Global Headquarters. During the closing ceremony, the fellows received their $10,000 scholarships and certificates of completion. Lifestyle influencer and 2019 DTU advisor Fonzworth Bentley (a graduate of Morehouse College), 2019 DTU ambassador DJ Envy (“The Breakfast Club” and a graduate of Hampton University), Chevrolet leaders and NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. spoke, as did the fellows.
“Chevrolet was excited to partner with the NNPA to drive the importance of storytelling and finding new roads during their fellowship,” said Brad Franz, senior manager, Crossover Vehicles Advertising & Marketing, Chevrolet. “The fellows seized the opportunity to embark on this unexpected journey of professional and personal self-discovery while gaining new tools along the way.”
NNPA publications the Atlanta Voice, Chicago Crusader, Houston Forward Times and The Washington Informer hosted the fellows during their internship road trip experience, allowing them to hone their print, broadcast, digital and photojournalism skills while driving the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer to discover unexpected stories in the African American community.
“The NNPA was excited to partner with Chevrolet for another year in support of these young journalists to amplify community voices across our country,” Chavis said. “Having these young journalists in our newsrooms working side by side with our publishers was inspiring, and we are committed to including young storytellers’ voices in our reporting."