The Mānoa Mirror, the online student news publication of the Journalism Program at UH Mānoa, has received a national grant for its commitment to addressing the critical need for enhanced local news coverage in Hawai‘i.
In October, Press Forward, a nationwide philanthropic initiative aimed at revitalizing local news and supporting original reporting, awarded The Mirror $50,000. This grant is part of an effort to strengthen democracy by addressing disparities in news practices across the United States.
The student newsroom ranked in the top 25% of more than 900 news organizations that applied for the inaugural investment, recognized for its mission of delivering content created by and for a young audience, while amplifying student voices to the broader public.
“The Mirror is one example of how journalists across the country are filling local coverage gaps and writing a new story for local news,” said Marika Lynch, a spokesperson for Press Forward. “We look forward to watching The Mirror’s coverage and progress.”
Launched last year, The Mirror offers journalism majors at the School of Communication and Information the chance to share their reporting outside of the classroom. The publication’s platforms, which include its website and Instagram channel, allow aspiring journalists to cover on-campus issues for a wider audience beyond the academic border.
“We take our mission of training future journalists very seriously and strive to provide our students with opportunities to experience what it is like working in a newsroom,” said Dr. Hye-ryeon Lee, chair of the School of Communication and Information. “The Mānoa Mirror is a good example of our efforts.”
The Mirror plans to use this grant to expand its readership. Part of its vision involves hiring new staff.
This month, the Journalism Program awarded Suah Cho, a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, a postgraduate fellowship to serve as the full-time editor of The Mirror.
Cho, who earned her journalism degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia University, recently completed a reporting internship with the investigative news organization Honolulu Civil Beat. In her new role, she plans to collaborate with student reporters and faculty to enhance The Mirror’s editorial standards and news quality.
The grant will also fund a student editor position to cover current events with a student-focused approach and effectively showcase digital content created by classmates.
A call for applications will be announced soon.