Rabat, Morocco
The students arrive tomorrow.
The newsroom we are creating for our students in the heart of Rabat ‘s medina is as close to a US news bureau as one can find in this country, a country rife with protest and surrounded by Arab Spring revolutions. The US students will be paired with Moroccan journalism students who speak English. Closely – and rigorously — mentored by me and Dr. Taieb Belghazi, a cultural studies professor at the University of Mohammad V in Rabat,
they will learn from Moroccan academics who study everything from literacy to women’s issues to Islamic movements along with a broad cross-section of Moroccans from rappers and film-makers to civil society groups working on issues such as domestic violence and legal reform. This in-depth study of the issues will be combined with the mechanics and ethics of journalism along with intensive field reporting and rigorous editing.
I want to show these students first-hand how important, fascinating and rewarding it is to be a journalist in a world that’s more interconnected than ever before. And what a difference one journalist can make. I expect some insightful reporting from our newsroom in Morocco
Starting in January 2012 we will be on the streets and in the classrooms of Rabat, Morocco, working one-on-one with U.S. college students who aspire to be the next generation of foreign correspondents. In this unique collaboration with SIT Study Abroad, we’ll effect the demands of an international news bureau while immersing students in one of the world’s most intriguing cultures. We’re looking forward to some excellent mentoring opportunities and some promising stories. An exciting twist: Because SIT Study Abroad’s longstanding Morocco programs involve intensive language study, students will also have the chance to produce stories in French and Arabic. Go 
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