The CSUMB J-Lab @ KAZU is a student-centered civic and media workshop. Our professional skills program empowers students to search for creative solutions to pressing democratic, journalistic, and cultural concerns.
The J-Lab has four program goals centered around ensuring sustainable narrative change:
- Quantifiably increase local civic engagement through storytelling.
- Quantifiably increase cultural and artistic engagement as a means to promote democratic involvement.
- Research and experiment to find new business models for journalism, storytelling, and influencing.
- Utilize journalism as a means to heal our community.
Our program is student-led. Students are paid for their work. Professional staff guide students through projects and assignments while professors, academics, and guest lecturers provide insight on media and civic theory. Students have the opportunity to obtain college credit as a J-Lab Associate. Students also obtain important professional certifications and licenses needed in their respective concentrations.
The J-Lab is inspired by the journalism model of ASU’s Cronkite School and the civic research model of UCSD’s Democracy Lab.
CSUMB is a service-learning land-grant college. CSUMB is a Hispanic Service Institution located in the heart of the Monterey Bay region. The school of Humanities and Communication (HCOMM) oversees all academic instruction and administers credit for the lab.
KAZU is the public media station for Aptos, Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Gilroy, Pacific Grove, Marina, Monterey, Salinas, Sand City, Santa Cruz, Seaside, and Watsonville. Established in 1977, KAZU is a member-funded, professional public media organization and a community service of CSUMB.