Updated Nov. 1, 2023: Applications are open now for our spring cohort in the HBCU Student Journalism Network. This is a paid and virtual fellowship. Help us spread the word!
Here’s what to know:
- Applications are due by Nov. 27, 2023. Applicants must be currently enrolled at a historically Black college or university through the entirety of the fellowship. No December ’23 grads will be considered.
- Some journalism experience is required — this can be from a student newspaper or a prior internship/fellowship. The most successful applicants will be interested in online/print journalism, not broadcast news or PR.
- We ask for one clip in the application — this should be a published article written by the applicant.
- Past fellows have ranged from sophomores to seniors.
- Fellows will be paid $1,200/month and work remotely for 10–15 hours per week.
- Our spring cohort will run from Jan. 16, 2024 to May 24, 2024.
Questions? Email us: hbcu@opencampusmedia.org.
What fellows can expect
Our fellowship prioritizes professional development and journalism training. We want to see our fellows learning and improving as journalists. We won’t assign quick-turn daily stories. Here’s more about what our fellows will do:
- Report on their colleges as well as national trends. Select stories will be co-published in national and regional outlets. Past fellows’ stories have been co-published in The Washington Post, Capital B, Verité News, and Mississippi Today.
- Past fellows have each finished with at least two bylines. Topics covered included enrollment trends, policing, and campus culture.
- Receive coaching and mentorship from professional journalists. Our team will help fellows turn ideas into polished enterprise stories, and guide them through the process. We’ll help them build skills and edit their work. We’ll also bring in guest speakers for training workshops.
- Past speakers have included journalists from CalMatters, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Mother Jones, URL Media, and the Gulf States Newsroom.
- Build a network. Fellows will connect with student journalists from other HBCUs and meet professionals from newsrooms across the country. Each fellow will be paired with a professional mentor. Past mentors have worked at outlets including MLK50, USA Today, Capital B, and the Detroit Free Press.
Please help us spread the word by passing this info along to HBCU students in your networks.
We created this paid fellowship in 2022, in partnership with Jarrett Carter, Sr. Learn more about our spring ’23 fellows and fall ’23 fellows. And, sign up for our HBCU Spotlight newsletter.
The Open Campus HBCU Student Journalism Network is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Lumina Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and the Scripps Howard Fund.