September 10, 2003
Bowling Green, Ky. – On September 5, 2003, twenty-five Egyptian candidates were chosen to participate in the next phase of the training program. The selection took place at the Al Ahram Regional Press Institute (ARPI) in Cairo.
Jerry Barnaby, Co-Project Director and Director of WKU’s Public Broadcasting at Western Kentucky University, worked with a review committee to select the journalists. The committee included columnists and editors from Egyptian media as well as representatives of USAID.
Fifty-four candidates were interviewed over two days. Twenty-five were chosen to begin a Pre-Departure Training conducted by ARPI. The group’s average age is 32 and the average years of experience is just over 9 years. The journalists work at a variety of newspapers, magazines and news agencies. The group includes 15 women and 10 men. From this group, and pending approval of US travel visas, 16 to 18 journalists will be selected for the first session in Bowling Green, which is scheduled to start in late October and run for 8-weeks. The second and third US-based sessions will take place in the spring of 2004.
The project is collaboration among Western Kentucky University’s Public Broadcasting, Western’s School of Journalism and Broadcasting, Al-Ahram Regional Press Institute, and Internews Networks.
This 15-month phase is funded by a grant from the United States Agency for International Development with support from Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell recognized the collaborative possibilities of Western and Internews and was instrumental in bringing the partners together and in the continuing support for this program.
For more information, contact Jerry Barnaby, 1-800-599-2424, or email jerry.barnaby@wku.edu. More information will also be found at www.wkyu.org.
-WKU-
WKU News & Events
Division of Public Affairs
Western Kentucky University
1 Big Red Way, Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-3576
Phone: (270) 745-4295 ~ Fax: (270) 745-5387 ~ E-Mail: western@wku.edu
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