The journalism department at El Camino College is among 16 other colleges nationwide selected to be a part of NBCU (National Broadcasting Company Universal) Academy, according to a press release from the NBCUniversal News Group.

One of only two colleges selected from California, ECC will receive scholarships and funding from the NBCUniversal News Group, along with the opportunity for students to access further training and resources from professional journalists.

According to the press release, NBCU Academy is a part of the company’s commitment to increasing diversity and achieving their Fifty Percent Challenge Initiative, which aims to make their employee base 50% women and 50% people of color.

All 17 of the colleges involved are one or more of the following: Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and colleges with significant Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous and tribal populations.

The NBCU Academy is set to invest $6.5 million in the program over the next two years, including $3.5 million allocated specifically towards scholarships.

The colleges and universities selected include:

• Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, NY
• California State University, Fullerton in Fullerton, CA
• Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC
• Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA, Dallas College in Dallas, TX
• El Camino College in Torrance, CA
• Florida International University in Miami, FL
• Hampton University in Hampton, VA
• Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM
• Miami Dade College in Miami, FL
• Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD
• North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC
• Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College in Orangeburg, SC
• The City College of New York in New York, NY
• University of North Texas in Denton, TX
• University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, TX
• Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, LA.