5 Strategies for Scoring a Journalism Fellowship

If you’ve amassed a solid portfolio of journalism work but want to challenge yourself and improve your skills, a fellowship could help you do that and more.

“Not only do they equip you with knowledge, skills, and a mindset but actually having attended these makes you look like more of a professional, like someone who is really invested in the future of their career,” said Andrew Leckey, president of the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. “A big part is not only the people you learn from but the people you are with.”

Leckey has participated in several journalism fellowships himself and launched the Reynolds Center’s Strictly Financials Seminar, a four-day fellowship for business journalists held each year at Arizona State University.

In addition to business journalism, fellowships exist for virtually every other beat, from digital storytelling to ocean science to international health issues.

And some fellowships are expanding their definition of journalist beyond staffers at established print publications, according to Jaclyn Schiff, who works as communications director for the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, covers global health as a freelancer, and hosts Pangea, a podcast about global health and development.

Schiff went on an International Reporting Project fellowship trip in July.

“News organizations rarely send reporters abroad these days, so the reporting trip to Zambia was an incredible way to get a first-hand look and talk to the people directly involved,” she said. “The trip’s focus on AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in the country provided an opportunity to observe new angles on these issues — quite different from what I’ve garnered behind a computer screen in the States.”

Here’s a look at how to identify and apply for a journalism fellowship.

1. Define your goals.

Before applying for a fellowship, do a little soul-searching to figure out what you hope to get out of the experience.

“Fellowships are generally quite opened-minded but they want to feel like it’s someone who has something in mind about how this will equip them,” Leckey said.

Do you want to gain a deeper understanding of economic policy? Explore how citizens of developing countries access healthcare? Learn to integrate mobile apps and video into your reporting?

Journalists who get accepted to fellowships are almost always those with boundless ambition, curiosity, and a commitment to improving themselves, Leckey added.

2. Assess your fit.

Once you know your goals, consider how your goals and expertise fit the fellowship’s mission.

Dinsa Sachan, a freelance journalist based in India, attended the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Ocean Science Journalism Fellowship in September. When asked to choose the issues she’d like to explore during the fellowship, Sachan made sure that those issues matched up the institute’s areas of interest.

“If you are applying for an ocean science journalism fellowship and express interest in aquarium fish, chances are you’re not going to be considered, so choose your topics and projects for the fellowship carefully,” she said.

Some organizations want you to have a plan for pitching stories you’re pursuing during the fellowship or trip, so think about those too.

3. Gather references.

Not all fellowships require references or letters of recommendation to apply, but if yours does, you’ll want to give yourself and your references plenty of lead time. And if you know a past fellow, even better.

Schiff knew reporters who had gone on IRP trips in the past, so she used one as a reference.

“Getting a recommendation from someone the organization knows and likes is like getting set up on a date by a friend,” she said. “There are no guarantees that it will lead to more, but it has a decent shot of working out if the chemistry and timing are right.”

Talking to past fellows can also help you get a realistic picture of what the organization looks for and how you might fit in. Craft your personal narrative.

4. Write your personal narrative.

Often, you’ll need to write an essay explaining why you want to participate in the fellowship. The trick there is to appear motivated but still likeable, not a know-it-all.

Leckey suggests presenting your career as a continuum.

“You have done a number of things but you want to do more,” he said. “You want to exude a sense of confidence because you have accomplished something but also a desire to become better.”

5. Prepare to be challenged.

If you get accepted for a fellowship, congrats! Now comes the hard work of absorbing new information and thinking in new ways. Of course, this also makes you a better reporter and writer.

“If you’re a young journalist, you want to hear from others and gain more information,” Leckey said. “If you’re a more mature journalist, you want to see if you’ve still got game. In both cases, you’ll find a great deal of opportunity.”

Image courtesy of OZinOH/flickr