Latino journalism students at BYU may soon be on the rise with a new organization called BYU Hispanic Journalists, approved earlier this week.

The organization is a support group to motivate each other and establish networks with professional Latino journalists in the Provo-Salt Lake area.

Founder Joshua Molina, a broadcast major of Jersey City, N.J., generated the idea after attending a National Association of Hispanic Journalists banquet in New York City.

"I met the girl who started the first chapter in Brooklyn," Molina said. "She shared the success they had with their club and introduced me to Hispanic journalists she's networked through the club."

Molina came home inspired to begin one at BYU and began rounding up Latino students interested in joining his organization. There are currently 15 members.

The organization hopes to someday become certified as an official NAHJ student chapter by having students pay membership dues.

As part of the NAHJ policy, there must be at least 10 NAHJ members at a university, a number that has not been reached yet by BYU Latino students.

There are only 15 NAHJ chapters nationwide, with the nearest ones to BYU being in Denver and Tucson, Ariz.

In the meantime, BYU Hispanic Journalists will organize themselves over the next few weeks by calling officers, finding an adviser and setting up networks with Latino journalists in the area.

BYU journalism majors consider it important to know people in the business to link them to finding a job.

"I'm a public relations practitioner," said Carol Garcia, a pre-communications major from Compton, Calif. "This will make a variety of network connections that could be helpful later on."

Latino students also find it comforting being around others they can relate to, such as Yenny C. Medina, a broadcast major from Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

"I like the feeling of support I can get from people that have my same ethnicity and career interests," Mdina said.

Copyright Brigham Young University 11 May 2007