Knight Foundation and FIU Caplin: advancing the future of journalism

At a time when journalism is redefining how it serves the public, the Knight Foundation continues to play a central role in supporting the profession’s evolution and the development of its future leaders. That commitment is reflected at FIU's  Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, where Knight’s relationship with the school supports a model of education rooted in practice, collaboration and community engagement.

Knight Foundation’s work centers on ensuring communities have access to informed and engaged journalism. At Caplin, that vision is not theoretical. It is reflected in daily student experiences, collaborative reporting initiatives and stronger connections between classrooms, newsrooms and communities.

“This partnership allows us to translate Knight’s national commitment for local journalism into real-world impact by embedding students in professional, community-centered journalism experiences,” said Brian Schriner, dean of FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts. “Together, we are strengthening local and regional news ecosystems while preparing the next generation of journalists to lead with integrity, innovation and purpose.”

That preparation is visible inside the newsroom. Caplin students report daily through Caplin News and its expanding newsroom initiatives, producing journalism that reaches real audiences and examines issues shaping communities across the region and beyond. To date, students have produced more than 500 published stories across print and digital platforms, and more than 130 alumni are now working professionally in journalism and media roles.

Experiential learning also extends outside the student newsroom. Through the school’s Innovator-in-Residence program, developed in partnership with The Miami Herald, students receive training in environmental journalism while contributing reporting that meets professional newsroom standards. The program reflects Caplin’s commitment to aligning academic instruction with industry expectations.

For students, this impact is personal. “Being able to work on stories that connect to our community has completely changed the way I think about university,” one Caplin student shared. “Understanding how to tell the story beyond just delivering information is what makes news impactful to our entire community.”

Collaboration is another defining element of the Caplin model. Through its Collaborative Journalism Initiative, a framework that connects students with faculty and professional newsrooms to report on issues affecting their communities, the school produces journalism that serves the public while preparing students to operate in shared reporting environments. The initiative reflects a broader philosophy within the field of collaborative journalism. Leaders such as Liza Gross have helped shape that approach, emphasizing cross-institutional reporting and shared newsroom resources as essential to journalism’s future. Her work aligns closely with Knight Foundation efforts to strengthen collaboration across the profession.

The initiative is now being expanded with the involvement of Manny García, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and FIU alumnus who serves as Knight Foundation Executive Director at the Caplin School. In this role, he is focused on strategically engaging media partners in support of student success and expanding the initiative’s reach.

“It’s all about our students,” García said. “My goal is to bring my experiences, expertise and knowledge to the classroom in order to help our Caplin students succeed as they enter our profession.”

Under his leadership, the Caplin School is actively expanding its relationships with prominent news organizations to create meaningful, real-world production opportunities. A notable advancement has been the strengthened collaboration with Telemundo51 and NBC6 through a student reporting initiative examining affordable housing challenges affecting young adults in South Florida. With the commitment of Telemundo51/NBC6 General Manager Jorge Carballo and Vice President of News Liliet Heredero, the stations are working directly with Caplin students on a 30-minute special report. The assignment of producer Patricia Perez-Hidalgo, an FIU graduate, marks another step forward in aligning classroom instruction with professional broadcast production.

“Our partnership to address the lack of affordable housing in South Florida is already paying off,” García said. “There is no greater teacher than to be a sponge and work alongside experienced journalists, and we are doing it.”

These partnerships reflect growing trust between the Caplin School and professional newsrooms, while strengthening its role as a talent pipeline and a center for community-focused journalism.

Looking ahead, the true measure of the Knight Foundation’s impact will be seen in student development and the communities they serve. “Success means our students graduate as confident, job-ready journalists and media professionals who are shaping the future of the profession and serving their communities,” Schriner said. “It also means FIU Caplin is recognized nationally as a hub for innovative, collaborative and community-driven journalism that advances Knight’s mission. The Caplin Way is not a doctrine, rather it is a direction, a path forward.”

Through sustained collaboration, industry engagement and student-centered learning, the Lee Caplin School and Knight Foundation illustrate how national support for journalism education can translate into meaningful local practice and lasting public value.