GIVING

The Amon G. Carter Foundation is helping provide students at UTA with a renovated broadcast production studio for multidisciplinary and partner-based media projects.

The $500,000 gift will support the renovation of the broadcast production studio housed in the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts. The renovated space will be named the Amon G. Carter Foundation Broadcast Production Studio.

“This opens up new possibilities in media education by allowing us to increase the number of students who have access to the new space,” says Charla Markham Shaw, chair of the Department of Communication. “It’s amazing that we’ll now have the capability to produce more high-quality work to better represent UTA and our students.”

The Department of Communication trains and prepares students to meet the demands of the communication and media industries. Students will be able to participate in multidisciplinary coursework and research, produce high-quality media materials, strengthen their media portfolios, and go into the industry equipped with the right tools and skills.

The renovated studio will move from the fourth floor in the Fine Arts Building to a suite on the first floor. The larger space will allow for the department to better equip students in the media and communication fields. The new space will include upgraded equipment, an area for a corporate set, a green screen, and more.

“This will really change the face of our broadcasting program, but the impact will be on the whole department,” Dr. Shaw says. “Our students will be able to produce high-quality materials that encapsulate how professionally and effectively they can communicate and help them be well-rounded job candidates once they graduate.”

The department is also exploring the possibility of launching the nation’s first bilingual meteorology/weathercasting program. There is high demand for more well-trained meteorologists who can deliver information on weather patterns and climate change to the public, especially Spanish-speaking audiences.

“With this gift we are able to continue Mr. Carter’s legacy as an eminent newspaper founder, publisher, and media broadcaster,” says John Robinson, the foundation’s executive vice president. “UTA is cultivating a reputable program that will produce the next generation of communication leaders.”