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Communications lecturer trains women reporters in developing countries

Cristi Hegranes

Cristi Hegranes (By: miller-mccune.com)

  • March 7, 2011 5:16am
The Press Institute, a unique, nonprofit agency that trains and employs women reporters in 23 developing countries, is the brainchild of Cal State East Bay Communications Lecturer Cristi Hegranes.

Hegranes is a former journalist for international news organizations who witnessed first-hand the shortcomings of traditional overseas reporting. She had an epiphany in 2004 when she met a woman in Tibet writing a "great piece of journalism" about the events happening in her country. Hegranes realized that women in third world countries with a natural affinity for story-telling could be trained as journalists.

"When women receive skills training, studies show they're more likely to have fewer children, to keep those children in school longer, and the success indicators for the entire community go way up," said Hegranes in a 2008 interview with Miller-McCune.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat reporter Clark Mason recently profiled Hegranes and the Press Institute in his article, "International journalism carves out a home in Windsor." Read article.

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