The Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting at the School of Communication and Journalism will host two visiting fellows this fall as part of an international program aimed at enhancing media, communications, and leadership skills. This marks the fourth year that the Colvin Center has participated in the initiative.
Vuochleang Uon, who previously worked as a communications and media coordinator for the Coalition for Partnership in Democratic Development in Cambodia, is one of the visiting scholars. The coalition works to promote civic engagement and democracy in Cambodia.
“Communication is a powerful way to inspire people and also bring people together,” said Uon. “Through this fellowship, I hope to develop skills that I can implement into my project, so I can inspire people to engage more efficiently in the democratic process in Cambodia.”
Uon’s community action project aims to strengthen democratic engagement by equipping high school and university students in Cambodia with media literacy skills such as identifying misinformation and encouraging participation in governance. She will work on developing this project during her time at Stony Brook.
Zuzana Grochalova’, a former coordinator and fundraiser for Transparency International Slovakia, will also participate. Her project combines civic education, public awareness, and historical reflection on key moments related to transparency and accountability. It involves creating walking tours in Bratislava focused on these themes, with potential expansion to other Slovak towns.
“I am very thankful and grateful for this opportunity to come and learn from the best practices the U.S. has to offer,” said Grochalova’. “I want to pick up the cherries from those and make a delightful, juicy cake to bring back home that people could benefit from.”
Sarah Baxter, director of the Colvin Center and visiting professor of foreign reporting, commented: “The Colvin Center is thrilled to welcome Vuochleang and Zuzana to Stony Brook. Hosting visiting international scholars is an important part of our mission to train the next generation of foreign correspondents. Their expertise offers a wonderful chance for our students to learn about Slovakia and Cambodia and for us to share our knowledge of communications and journalism in the U.S. with them.”
Stephanie Kelton, interim dean of the School of Communication and Journalism, highlighted how these partnerships align with institutional goals: “Sarah and the Colvin Center team have done exceptional work in building these international partnerships. When we bring together emerging leaders from around the world with our students and faculty, we create meaningful exchanges that benefit our entire community. Vuochleang and Zuzana’s work in promoting democracy and transparency aligns perfectly with the values we strive to instill in our future journalists and communicators.”
Both fellows will remain at Stony Brook until November before spending a week in Washington, D.C., as part of their program commitments; they are scheduled to return home in December.
Grochalova’ and Uon are participating through the IREX Community Solutions Program—an international fellowship sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with support from IREX—which focuses on empowering youth leaders globally through skill development initiatives.
The Colvin Center has previously hosted visitors from countries including Indonesia, Nepal, Ukraine, Moldova, and others; following these visits SoCJ students have traveled abroad for reporting opportunities.
