Alba Rosa and Samuel Larreal | Staff Writers
Students, staff, and administration celebrated the inauguration of the Lee Caplin School of Journalism and Media at the Biscayne Bay Campus on Nov. 17. The recently established school, which is part of the College of Communication, Architecture and The Arts, will now have access to $10 million of funding provided by entertainment executive Lee Caplin.
Trustee chair Rogelio Tovar, FIU President Kenneth Jessell, CARTA Dean Brian Schriner, American soul singer and Hall-of-Famer and his wife Sam and Joyce Moore, as well as donors Lee and Rita Caplin, attended the event.
“And in the very near future, when you think about unbiased, truthful and factually accurate, responsible and ethical journalism people will think about the Caplin Lee School of Journalism,” said FIU President Kenneth Jessell.
“I am so proud of the work of our students and faculty within the Caplin School, and I’m excited to see what is next,” Jessel said.
“Lee Caplin’s generous contribution does not just end with the creation of this school, It extends far beyond,” said Congresswoman Fredericka Wilson in a video message.
Wilson also gave a congressional plaque to Caplin for his contribution to the school.
The Lee Caplin School of Journalism also unveiled a new app that showcases all journalistic projects published under Caplin News, a faculty-led student news outlet.
Sam and Joyce Moore, donors and part of the entertainment industry expressed their excitement for the new generation of journalists. “We’re going to make you proud,” Joyce Moore said.
Caplin, a producer from New York, tells the audience that, because his father, Mortimer Caplin, worked in government, he was among journalists and prominent figures like Walter Cronkite – which led him to recognize the importance of supporting journalism.
“I chose FIU because of its diversity,” said Caplin.
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