SJMC welcomes new director of Hispanic Media Futures

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) at FIU has named Alejandro Alvarado as the Telemundo director of its innovative Hispanic Media Futures program, a student development program designed to train future Hispanic journalists and communicators.

Alvarado brings to his position 25 years of experience in communications and a strong background in government relations, crisis management, national security and Hispanic journalism. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on a number of topics related to mass communications and recently served as the SJMC’s coordinator of the Spanish-language journalism master’s program.

“Dr. Alvarado will play an active role in the growth of this new partnership with Telemundo,” said SJMC Dean Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver. “With his experience and expertise in Hispanic communications, we are continuing our trajectory to lead the country in training the Hispanic communicators of tomorrow.”

Prior to joining the SJMC last year, Alvarado served as vice president and strategy director at Porter Novelli Florida/Latin America where he led its Hispanic practice, including directing projects for Fortune 100 companies and government agencies in the United States’ Hispanic and Latin American markets. In 2005, his Mexicanos al Grito de Guerra (Mexicans in the Screams of War) was published by Random House Mondadori.

“I am honored to work with Telemundo in this unique and visionary initiative, and to start developing what will become the Academy of Hispanic Communication Studies,” said Alvarado.

His position is funded through a $300,000 grant from Telemundo Communications Group, Inc., as part of the Hispanic Media Futures program announced last May.