Florida International University (FIU) in Miami has announced a $10 million gift from Lee Caplin and his wife, Gita Karasik, to establish the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).

The gift will support a wide range of initiatives at the school—where 86 percent of the student body identifies as a member of a minority—including student scholarships and financial assistance and the expansion of a learn-by-doing curriculum focused on combating misinformation and disinformation. The funding also will support the development of a diverse faculty of practitioners and scholars to instruct students in the use of state-of-the-art equipment and software and the latest emerging technologies. In addition, the gift will fund capital improvements to facilities to be outfitted with new equipment.

Caplin—co-founder of Penske Media, which owns Variety and Rolling Stone magazines—previously made a gift to CARTA of $1.2 million to fund development of multimedia experiences in virtual and augmented reality.

“I am delighted to invest in the evolution of this extraordinary university’s programs and the vibrant communities it serves so well,” said Caplin. “FIU reflects the diversity and promise of our times.”

“Mr. Caplin’s historic gift will have an extraordinary impact on FIU and fields of study that are vital to our democratic society,” said FIU president Kenneth A. Jessell. “The Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media’s vision uniquely positions us to be a leading force shaping the next generation of great journalists and media professionals.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Jenstew2012)