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MU Dedicates Reynolds Journalism Institute COLUMBIA, MO (KBIA) - The MU Journalism School Centennial celebration is wrapping up but ending with the dedication of a new building. KBIA's Maureen McCollum has more on the Reynolds Journalism Institute:


The Reynolds Journalism Institute is in a three-story building with a glass wall on one side it preserves the old while incorporating the new. The world's oldest journalism school is moving forward to discover and teach new journalism techniques. Labs are set up like newsrooms, with high definition T-Vs and computers equipped with the latest programs to work with audio, video, photos and more. There are even translation booths in a forum room so people from around the world can participate in discussions. Governor Matt Blunt was at the R-J-I dedication. He says the institute is an important addition to the university, as well as the state.

This draws a lot of students here. I was just talking with the Dean, 1 out of 5 freshman want to study journalism, obviously far fewer end up graduating from the program, but it really draws a lot of students to the state. It's something we're known for around the country.

Another R-J-I goal is to partner with various media companies to explore products and ideas designed to take journalism into the new century.

A thirty-one million dollar donation from the Donald Reynolds Institute funded the building, with the goal to train to next wave of journalists.
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