TAP Brings Ohio University journalism professors to AUA for masterclasses on ethics and conflict reporting
This international collaboration strengthens Armenia’s next generation of journalists
Yerevan, Armenia – July 28, 2025 – The Armenia Project (TAP), in collaboration with the American University of Armenia (AUA), hosted a week-long journalism training program led by three distinguished professors from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to elevate journalistic standards in Armenia through masterclasses focused on ethics, trauma-informed reporting, and responsible conflict coverage.
Held from July 28 to July 31 at AUA’s Akian Art Gallery, the evening workshops brought together students from AUA and Yerevan State University, as well as young journalists invited through TAP’s media partners — including Hetq, EVN, CivilNet, MediaMax, and others. The program is part of TAP’s broader mission to support a more ethical, resilient, and globally connected media environment in Armenia.
The featured professors and topics were:
Nerissa Young, an award-winning expert in trauma journalism. Young led sessions on covering conflict, interviewing trauma survivors, and safeguarding reporters’ mental health.
Kevin Z. Smith, a global ethics trainer and former president of the Society of Professional Journalists. Smith covered journalism ethics, newsroom policy creation, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
Mark Turner, a media effects scholar and newsroom advisor. Turner explored neutral language in conflict reporting, press freedom under censorship, and avoiding narrative bias in wartime coverage.
“These professors brought decades of experience and global best practices to Armenia at a critical time for our media landscape,” said Shant Petrossian, Executive Global Director of TAP. “Their teachings will help our emerging journalists navigate complex reporting environments while upholding ethical standards. It’s an investment in a new era of Armenian journalism.”
“The collaboration with Ohio University reflects AUA’s commitment to preparing Armenia’s future journalists for the ethical and practical challenges of modern reporting,” said Prof. Shawn McIntosh, who chairs the Masters of Arts in Multiplatform Journalism program at AUA. “By integrating global best practices into our curriculum, we’re empowering students to report with accuracy, integrity, and resilience.”
The masterclasses were held in collaboration with AUA’s Center for Excellence in Journalism and its newly launched Master of Arts in Multiplatform Journalism (MAMJ) program, a 14-month degree supported by the U.S. State Department and developed in partnership with Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow School of Communication.