Nicholas Buffo (CMN ’16), Carol Marin, Stephanie Wade (CMN ’16) and Don Moseley at the reception celebrating the launch of the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence.

Carol Marin and Don Moseley lead the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence

Investigative journalists seek out the tough stories, but navigating the sometimes ethically murky waters can be hard for veteran journalists, much less for those who are new to the field. The co-directors of the new Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence at the College of Communication, celebrated journalist Carol Marin and acclaimed producer Don Moseley, not only offer expert training, but also intend to establish career-long relationships with their students.

“Don and I are excited to help launch these students into the world of journalism,” Marin says. “We want to teach them everything we can and then help them get meaningful internships at places where they might actually find a home. And if they need help when they hit a wall in their careers, as they invariably will, we’ll be there to pick up the phone when they call.”

The center officially opened in May, but classes just started using the facility this fall. Later this quarter, Marin and Moseley will begin hosting speaker series and other educational events for all communication students to explore the meaning and practice of ethical journalism.

“Within every story, there are all kinds of corners and pockets of ethical questions,” Marin says. “Through the center, we’ll explore some of those tough decisions every journalist will encounter repeatedly in his or her career.”

Additionally, Marin and Moseley will teach an investigative journalism course during which Moseley will instruct students as they learn production skills and contribute research for Marin’s stories for Chicago Public Media WTTW, Chicago NBC affiliate WMAQ and a YouTube channel they plan to create for the class. Through this approach, students will apply the fundamental skills and theories learned in other courses and work through any real-world challenges that might arise.

“We know there are great professors in the college who are teaching students how to write and shoot and record a story,” Moseley says. “We’re not going to repeat what is already being taught so well. We want to show [students] how to take a step back when they’re in the heat of the moment and ask themselves ‘Why are we doing this?,’ ‘What good is the reporting that we’re doing?’ and ‘What is the right way, journalistically and ethically, to report on this story?’”

Marin and Moseley agree that working with College of Communication students is ideal because the strong university mission has already given them an ethical foundation from which to build. “The university mission and Vincentian principles align with the ethical standards that Don and I try to implement in our work every day,” Marin says. “Covering news and doing good journalism is a mission of its own. I can’t imagine a better place to be doing this.”