Local radio stations in the Rogers Radio Group, owned by Rogers Broadcasting Ltd., have donated an initial $33,000 to Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, to assist deserving students prepare for careers in radio journalism.
Of this initial donation, $8,000 is from 570 News of Kitchener-Waterloo and $25,000 from 680 News of Toronto. The 570 News commitment of $8,000 will continue annually until 2014, while the 680 News commitment will also continue in subsequent years, although the amount of their donation will be determined year-to-year.
Beneficiaries of this generosity will be second-year students in Conestoga's Journalism - Broadcast program.
The number of awards presented each year will be determined by a selection committee that will review all applications, but applicants may be eligible for either a scholarship of up to $5,000 or an academic bursary of up to $2,000.
Applicants will be assessed on their record of academic achievement, extracurricular activities that demonstrate commitment to the profession and who display an interest in a career in radio newscasting.
In announcing the donation, Mike Collins, General Manager and Sales Manager for the Rogers Kitchener Radio Group, said, "A number of graduates from this program have come to us and helped drive our business, which in this region is 570 News. We need to find and encourage good, young talent, who have the skills we're looking for. These individuals are certainly coming out of Conestoga."
The Rogers Radio Group consists of seven all-news format radio stations across Canada - British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and the Maritimes.
Journalism - Broadcast is a two-year, diploma-level program offered at the Doon campus in Kitchener. It covers a wide range of topics related to careers in traditional and new media, whether in the private or the public sector: research and interviewing, newswriting, desktop publishing, news photography, broadcast performance, technical operations, news production, and journalism law and ethics.
CONTACT: Mark Derro, 519-748-5220, ext. 3647, mderro@conestogac.on.ca