The Multicultural Media Producing Program is the first of its kind, a 16-week course to help teach students from all backgrounds the ins and outs of producing the news.

The program, created by WISH-TV owner and chief executive officer DuJuan McCoy, just graduated its first class Tuesday night.

“We want to increase diversity in the newsroom in helping create content and influence the message going out to viewers,” McCoy said.

The program brought in students from across central Indiana to learn every aspect of TV news and what it takes to put on a broadcast.

Students ranged from high school to college with some coming directly from program partner Ivy Tech Community College and others coming from universities in Indiana.

Students in the program said it was important to them that there was a program ready to highlight and celebrate diversity.

The program has already creating success stories. Danielle Moore, a senior at IUPUI, has already secured a job at WISH-TV as an associate producer, all before graduating college. “It’s really exciting for me, especially since I haven’t graduated college. It makes me feel really secure that I will have a job outside of college.”

The next class will be welcomed to WISH-TV early next year.