MediaLab@FAU is a new journalism initiative in the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University. It is a faculty-led, student-powered community reporting project in a region of Florida that is experiencing exponential growth, but in which legacy publications often have limited resources for engaging in wider and more comprehensive coverage. Our goal is to engage our diverse student body in developing advanced media skills as they report, document and produce content of high value to our local media partners and to a wider audience throughout our region.

 

At the heart of this initiative is a News-Academic Partnership in which our students, guided by experienced journalism faculty, produce stories for our community news site, one that serves as a source of meaningful, publishable content for major local media outlets including The Palm Beach Post, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WLRN. An additional partner in MediaLab@FAU will be The Invading Sea, a source for news, commentary and educational content about climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida. We launched in September 2023, with advice and support on best practices for News-Academic Partnerships from the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont.

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​MediaLab@FAU is led by a team of experienced journalists dedicated to mentoring the next generation of media professionals. Ilene Prusher, Digital Director, and Rachel Benaim-Abudarham, Deputy Digital Director, bring a wealth of experience in digital journalism, reporting, and newsroom leadership. Their expertise helps shape the digital strategy of MediaLab@FAU, ensuring that our students gain hands-on experience with innovative storytelling techniques and cutting-edge media tools.

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In October 2024 we were awarded a $100,000 grant from Press Forward, a national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. We're so proud to be one of only seven academic programs to be selected for this prestigious award recognizing the importance of our work and the contributions it makes to the local media landscape.​

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