It’s well known that metro Detroit features a variety of outstanding higher education institutions for aspiring doctors, lawyers, and engineers among other popular professions.

Ben Burns

But the area boasts one of the country’s most respected schools for aspiring journalists as well in Wayne State University, a college that’s made waves in the field in recent years thanks in large part to its popular Journalism Institute for Media Diversity (JIM), a one-of-a-kind honors program with the goal of encouraging, supporting, and training the next generation of media talent with a focus on diversity.

The program began in 1984 as the Journalism Institute for Minorities in response to the need for diversity in newsrooms and other media outlets. Local newsrooms were having a hard time diversifying their staff, so current WSU Director of Journalism Ben Burns served as the Detroit News’ executive director at the time and founded JIM to assist in developing local talent.

“Back then, minorities weren’t represented well, and there was a huge pool of racial and ethnic talent in the metro Detroit area so we said, ‘Why don’t we just train them?'” Burns said. “It’s worked out pretty well for us so far.”

Today, the search for a more diversified workforce in journalism continues. Aspiring journalists of any background can apply to become a member of the institute, which provides scholarships, academic retreats, chances to network and speak with industry professionals, and internship placement assistance among other services in a diversity-focused environment. Members of the JIM must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average while enrolled and they must also hold down one internship per term.

The JIM typically enrolls 2-3 Arab American students per semester and Burns expects 4-5 for this coming fall out of about 40 students altogether. Originally, the students received full scholarships but now most of them are partial.

Burns said that the organization is actively looking for more members of an Arab American background to contribute to the program’s learning environment. The school is the alma mater of legendary Lebanese White House correspondent and industry pioneer Helen Thomas, who currently has a “Spirit of Diversity” awards ceremony named after her that is held on campus each year.

“We’ve talked to a number of Arab American organizations that help underwrite scholarships and they’ve expressed interest but it hasn’t really come true yet,” he said, adding that Arab American students have fared well in the program.

Burns and JIM’s director, Alicia Nails, both said that JIM students along with others in their field are often motivated to make a difference in society and to share their unique life experiences with others.

“Students typically select journalism because they have interest in the ways society functions and  assisting society by providing information that allows it to function; they’re often curious and proactive and they’re interested in asking questions beyond the ordinary,” Nails said.

Burns added that JIM’s focus on diversity has been a spark for the rest of the program and other journalism students in general.

“The main thing is we want to expose everyone to different viewpoints, and we’re certainly looking for more Arab American students but we haven’t been as successful as we’ve wanted to lately,” he said.

JIM students in general have been quite successful in the journalism field and beyond according to Burns, however.

He said that graduates range from city council members to the vice president of a public relations corporation to workers at The New York Times, Washington Post, Detroit News, and other major papers.

“We are one of the premier programs of Wayne State and we’re moving towards our 25th (anniversary celebration in spring 2011) as a magnet that attracts students to the school,” Nails said.

Six members of the institute have been selected for internships around the country through the prestigious Chips Quinn Scholars competition this summer. Other notable programs JIM students have taken part in include the Poynter Summer Fellowship program and the CBS/Viacom Apprenticeship program.

“This is indicative of the fact that the institute is strong prep for students in the journalism field,” Nails said.

Marquis Herring, who graduated from Wayne State and was a member of JIM, said that working with a diverse group of focused, determined peers helped give him the drive to succeed and helped give him direction in life.

“JIM forced me to focus on my career and getting better, it is healthy competition. Everyone wants to get better,” he said.

“JIM has meant the world to me. I credit JIM for saving my life. I returned to school two years ago from working in the corporate world and Alicia Nails gave me an opportunity to focus on journalism in a intense program like JIM,” Herring said. “She has mentored and advised us and put us on a course to success. Programs like JIM should be mandatory everywhere.”

For more information on how to apply for the Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State, e-mail Alicia Nails at emmy40@aol.com.