Applications are open for the Marquette University O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism 2025-2026. The O’Brien Fellows spend nine months reporting stories with the power to compel change. They complete an in-depth reporting project of their choosing on a topic of state, regional, national or international interest over two academic semesters.
Backed by Marquette University, the O’Brien Fellowship helps news professionals dig deep while mentoring student journalists. The program honors Marquette alumni Alicia and Perry O’Brien. Their daughter, Patricia Frechette, and her husband, Peter, donated $8.3 million in 2012 to create the fellowship. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a co-founder and partner.
Stipend
- A stipend of $75,000 for nine months for your salary, paid to your sponsoring organization, or directly to the fellow in the case of independent journalists.
- A residency allowance based on family requirements for fellows moving to the Milwaukee metropolitan area for the duration of the fellowship: up to $7,000 for a single, married or partnered fellow, up to $9,000 for a fellow with one child, up to $10,000 for a fellow with two children, up to $12,000 for a fellow with three or more children. Fellows submit rent receipts from the rental property owner. The allowance is paid in equal monthly installments over the course of the fellowship.
- A moving allowance of up to $7,000. (Fellows from the Milwaukee metropolitan area are not eligible for a moving allowance.)
- A travel and research allowance up to $9,000. This covers project-related travel as well as technology, data and document costs and equipment needs.
- Employee benefits continue to be paid by the fellow’s employer, where applicable. Independent journalists can choose to select Marquette employee health insurance.
- Fellows and their spouses are eligible during the fellowship for tuition remission (up to seven credits) for courses offered by Marquette University.
Eligibility
- Open to staff-employed or independent journalists residing in the United States or its territories.
- Applicants should have at least five years of professional experience and produce journalism regularly as an employee or freelancer.
- Applicants may be connected to print operations, radio, television, websites, podcasts, online publications, wire services, or magazines of general public interest.
- There are no academic prerequisites.
Selection Criteria
- A proposal to produce a rigorous, multimedia public service journalism project with the potential to have major impact, lead to significant reform, and explain how individuals and groups can identify creative solutions to social problems.
- The ability to complete the project during the fellowship.
- The ability to integrate Marquette students as part of a reporting team.
- The capacity to ensure the greatest possible exposure for the reporting once completed.
- An advisory committee consisting of distinguished journalists and Marquette faculty and alumni interview candidates from a pool of finalists recommended by College of Communication journalism faculty. Following those interviews, the advisory committee will send a list of recommended fellows to the dean of the Diederich College of Communication for final review.
Application
- Method 1 (Preferred): They provide space in the official online application form for you to link to your supporting files from a file sharing service such as Dropbox or Google Drive, or from your personal or company’s website. This allows them to view your materials online. This is their preference.
- Method 2: If you are unable to send them a link to your materials, you may email them to them at [email protected] with the subject “O’Brien Application Materials: Your Name.”
- Method 3: As a last resort, they will accept physical copies of materials at the mailing address below. These materials won’t be returned to you. Please call them before sending the materials.
Deadline: 19 January, 2025
