Richard T. Griffiths establishes support fund for Student Innovation in Journalism

Richard T. Griffiths, formerly a news executive with CNN, has established a support fund for Grady College journalism students engaged in innovation projects.

Students receiving the support will be known as Griffiths Innovators and will participate in a variety of projects through the Journalism Innovation Lab, which is part of the college’s Cox Institute for Journalism Innovation, Management and Leadership.

“At a time where innovation is desperately needed in our industry, I’m hoping this initiative will both allow students to experiment with innovative ideas but also allow the future of journalism to be exposed to innovative ideas out in the real world,” Griffiths said. “Democracy depends on our journalism, but without innovation I don’t think journalism can survive in a form that can be truly useful.”

Charles Davis, dean of Grady College, said that as a journalist and industry executive, Griffiths understands the challenges facing the college as it trains Democracy’s next generation at a time of constant change in the news industry.

“Richard has been on the front lines of news coverage in an important role and he recognizes the significant changes taking place in the industry. His understanding for the need to innovate has informed much of what we do with the students in our Innovation Lab,” Davis said. “His service to the college and his financial support are vital to our continuing mission.”

Griffiths’ financial gift has been matched by grants from the UGA Foundation and the Cox Institute, creating a robust support fund that will be immediately impactful for students participating in the Innovation Lab. Additional fundraising to expand the fund is planned in the coming months.

Students in the inaugural cohort of Griffiths Innovators during this academic year may be assigned as fellows to work on digital projects with Georgia Association of Broadcasters or the Georgia Press Association or directly as “digital natives” embedded in local newsrooms or compete in the  Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Student Innovation Competition.

“As part of Richard’s vision, innovation means so much more than just new technology. Our purpose is to engage our students with newsrooms and projects in ways that provide value to their communities,” said Amanda Bright, director of the Innovation Lab. “Whether that means creating digital products, increasing transparency and trust, or developing a completely new way to connect people with news and information, our Griffiths Innovators will be doing real work as they gain valuable experience and insights.”

Griffiths, retired as vice president and senior editorial director at CNN in 2017 following a 26-year career with the network. During an exceptional career, Griffiths led reporting and investigative projects that won multiple George F. Peabody Awards, the Overseas Press Club David Kaplan Award, two Emmys, a National Headliner Award and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Medal. He is active in the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, serving as one of its past presidents.

Griffiths also has long been involved with the Grady College, serving on the college’s Board of Trust and as the Cox Institute’s first Industry Fellow when that program launched in 2017.

“Grady College has a long history and a tradition of engaging industry in continuing professional education, and encouraging students within the college to engage with institutions,” Griffiths said. “And those journalists and institutions really benefit from that engagement, not only from the students themselves, but also from the sharing of ideas and training. That long tradition is really important to me as we thought about how we could allocate these resources.”

Keith Herndon, executive director of the Cox Institute, explained that Griffith’s gift represents significant program growth for the Institute. Students selected to be Griffiths Innovators in the Innovation Lab will join students selected as Levin Leaders in the Institute’s Leadership Lab and Fink Fellows as part of the Writing Lab.

“Creating a new cohort of students focused on journalism innovation complements our existing programs while also creating meaningful new opportunities,” Herndon said.

Author: Cox Institute