States Newsroom Capital Reporting Fellowship 2025 (Paid): (Deadline 31 October 2024)

Generations of structural inequities, such as racism, misogyny, homophobia, and ableism, have led to discriminatory policies and practices that limited who could become journalists. Most news organizations are primarily white and male, according to a 2018 article by the Pew Research Center. Today’s early-career professionals from historically underrepresented backgrounds are not only confronted with limited career prospects, they have few opportunities to cover the government decisions that affect their communities. States Newsroom wants to change that! The Capital Reporting Fellowship is a summer program that places students and new journalists in our newsrooms across the country. Whether you are an advocacy-minded student, a journalist-to-be who needs help honing your truth-telling skills, or a strong writer who is considering reporting as a career path, your participation in state government coverage matters more now than ever before. This is an opportunity to develop a skill set to hold elected officials accountable for what happens in statehouses across the United States.

This fellowship may not remove the impediments that make a career in journalism seem impossible, but it is a springboard that includes financial compensation and professional development. A States Newsroom Capital Reporting Fellow can expect a full-time summer schedule covering state policy in areas such as education, health care, and criminal justice.

Benefits of Capital Reporting Fellowship

• States Newsroom will provide each fellow an hourly wage of $20/hour for a 40-hour week. A small stipend for housing assistance can also be negotiated. This opportunity includes career preparation benefits like one-on-one mentoring with a national editor; weekly professional development sessions; portfolio improvement; and a year of coaching beyond the fellowship.

Eligibility for Capital Reporting Fellowship

• The States Newsroom Capital Reporting Fellowship is designed to attract candidates from a variety of backgrounds.
• You should be currently enrolled as a junior or senior or a recent graduate of an accredited institution of higher education. Students majoring in journalism, broadcasting, or communications are preferred; other majors will be considered.
• Preference will be given to applicants whose identities are underrepresented in journalism, such as women, Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), differently abled, first-generation college students, and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The strongest candidates will be those who have experience in journalism or related communications fields at a college or university or in their community.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available at this time.

Application

The deadline for interested applicants to submit their materials is by October 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Send a cover letter, resume/CV with references, and a portfolio highlighting your previously published work to jobs@statesnewsroom.com with “Capital Reporting Fellowship” in the subject line. Send any and all questions to fellows@statesnewsroom.com.

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