Date: Feb 09, 2011

Hollywood-Bound

Two Hofstra Student Journalists Win Opportunity to Cover the 83rd Academy Awards from Hollywood

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY -- Two Hofstra University students have been named finalists in the mtvU "Oscars Correspondent Contest," earning them a trip to California to cover the events leading up to the 83rd Academy Awards.  A final round of voting, which lasts from February 7th until February 18th, will determine which of three teams of finalists earns the opportunity to report from the red carpet.

The team of Luz Pena and Philip Robibero won the right to go to Hollywood by creating a video that was judged against other student films from around the country.  The top three teams, determined by an online vote and by mtvU judges, will be flown to Los Angeles to cover Academy Awards pre-events, including the Animated Feature Symposium, Foreign Language Film Award press event, the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Symposium and the Governors Ball preview.  One grand prize winning team will be awarded a spot on the red carpet for the 83rd Academy Awards arrivals, as well as credentials for access to backstage press rooms.  The winning team's coverage will be aired on MTV News and mtvU.  The two remaining teams will receive bleacher seats along the red carpet and admission to an Oscar viewing party.

Luz is a senior broadcast journalism and political science double major.  The 20-year-old from Brooklyn works for WRHU, Hofstra's student radio station.

"This is a huge opportunity for our careers," she said.  "Journalism is my passion.  I am thrilled to go to Hollywood and I hope to report from the red carpet."

Philip is a senior film major and speech-communication minor from New Jersey.  He hopes to one day put this experience to use as a film director.

"I cannot wait to go to Los Angeles for the Oscars," he said.  "I hope to eventually work there, so this is a fantastic stepping stone."

To view the teams' videos and vote, click here.

About Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services; and honors studies, as well as a School of Law and the Hofstra-North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students' interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.

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