Journalism student reaches Finals for L.A. Times METPRO Program

Desiree Grand (Senior/Journalism), currently in Albany completing her Journalism Program internship with the Legislative Gazette, was a finalist in the Los Angeles Times’ prestigious METPRO Program for Minority Journalists – an extremely competitive project and “a great step upward” even for experienced journalists, according to Jessica Siegel (Communication & Media). Grand applied at Siegel’s recommendation, and was invited to Los Angeles in late March to complete an interview for possible entrance into the two-year program. Though she was not among those selected for inclusion (only 10 in the country), “It’s an extremely competitive program and the fact that – as a senior at New Paltz – she was a finalist, is amazing,” said Siegel. METPRO/Reporting participants are journalists of color who work for Times Mirror, first at the Los Angeles Times, then at any of seven Times Mirror papers in the country. Grand said, “Many of the other finalists were from Ivy League universities, had completed graduate school, or had already been working in the field, so coming from SUNY with just the Legislative Gazette under my belt, I understood the significance of being a finalist.” Grand said her plan after graduating in May is to work at a daily newspaper because she likes the pace of daily writing. She may even reapply for the METPRO Program in the future. “I’m keeping my options open,” she said.