The Knight Center for Environmental Journalism recently received a $2.2-million grant to expand its outreach and programs.
The grant, from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, was awarded last week and is the largest in the history of MSU's School of Journalism.
MSU officials agreed to match the grant with a $2-million donation, which will come from university resources, the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and the School of Journalism.
Members of the center hope to expand workshops and outreach both nationally and internationally.
A master's degree specialization in environmental journalism could also be added because of the grant, said Dave Poulson, assistant director of the center.
The money also will be used to create new classes in environmental broadcast techniques, as well as online classes on the environment.
Poulson's position, created about two years ago as a temporary post, will be made permanent as part of the grant.
"It continues to increase our reputation nationally," he said. "This grant is a recognition of that reputation."
In order to receive the grant, MSU created a proposal and formally applied last fall, said Jim Detjen, director of the center.
"Environmental issues are among the most important issues that society faces in the 21st century," Detjen said. "We believe journalists need to have training in environmental policy."
The grant will help strengthen the center's programs, said Larry Meyer, vice president of communications and secretary of the Knight Foundation.
"They're so good at what they do that this extra money is going to help them do it even better and more effectively," Meyer said.
Programs in MSU's Knight Center don't only affect those interested in environmental journalism, but people in all areas, Poulson said.
"We don't teach exclusively people who are 'environmental reporters,'" Poulson said. "We try to integrate that into students who cover a variety of things.
"If we do nothing more than make journalists of all kinds - educational reporters, government reporters and all others - aware of the environmental angle of a news story, that does a lot."
