Deadline: December 4, 2019 (International Applicants)/January 30, 2020 (US Applicants)
Applications are open for the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships 2020-2021 at Stanford University. The JSK Journalism Fellowships supports diverse journalists from around the world who are deeply engaged in exploring solutions to journalism’s biggest problems. They focus on accelerating change in the journalism industry to improve the access to information people need to create and sustain democratic communities.
JSK Fellows spend their time at Stanford University exploring solutions to the most urgent challenges facing journalism. They sit in on classes, attend events on campus, connect with experts in the university’s many research institutes and consult innovative thinkers and doers throughout Silicon Valley.
A JSK Fellow’s job during their 10 months at Stanford is to meet a few expectations of the fellowship program and to make the most of the opportunity. The most successful fellows take initiative and seek out people who can help them explore their questions and make connections, even before they arrive at Stanford.
Benefits
- JSK Fellows are provided with several financial benefits, including a stipend of $85,000. In addition to this stipend, they provide an additional supplement for fellows with children.
- They also cover the cost of Stanford tuition and Stanford health care for fellows, spouses and children. Also, they help fellows find housing.
- Other benefits of a JSK Fellowship:
- Access to some of the world’s most innovative thinkers and organizations, from technology giants to hot new startups to Stanford’s 100-plus special institutes and centers.
- Opportunities to join classes taught by top Stanford professors and instructors in a wide range of specialties. It is common for classes to be taught by people who also work in the vanguard of their fields in the private sector.
- A rich intellectual and cultural campus life, including live theater, music and dance performances and special lectures and events.
- Fellowship social events where everyone can get to know one another.
- Spouses and partners are eligible to take some classes and attend many fellowship seminars. Fellows’ children attend excellent Palo Alto-area schools and are included in some fellowship social activities
- Exposure to the incredible diversity of world views, experiences and cultural traditions that fellows from all over the world bring to the program.
- New friendships, professional connections and entrepreneurial skills that will continue beyond the 10 months fellows spend at Stanford.
Eligibility
- Open to journalists from around the world;
- U.S. applicants typically have at least seven years of full-time professional experience; international applicants typically have at least five years of experience. They will consider less experienced applicants who have outstanding achievements. They do not require applicants to have a college degree.
- They will consider applicants in these categories:
- Journalists employed by a news organization or freelance journalists.
- Journalism entrepreneurs and innovators.
- Journalism business and management executives.
Conditions
Fellows must agree to these conditions:
- Spend the academic terms in residence at Stanford from September to June: (This means time at Stanford, not in Hawaii, on the road or at home.) Fellows receive long breaks during the fellowship year — most of December and two weeks in March — so they expect them to minimize other time away.
- Participate fully in JSK activities: This means attending all JSK events and workshops; they have two to three events a week. Some of the most important relationships and learning will happen within the fellowship program itself.
- Commit to the fellowship rather than to regular professional work: They require fellows to take a leave from their jobs and their freelancing and consulting commitments to devote their energy to the fellowship full time.
- Focus on the fellowship proposal throughout the year: In addition to their events and some classes at Stanford, fellows work on a challenge facing journalism, which should occupy at least half of their time and energy.
- Share the fellowship experience and lessons: They expect fellows to share publicly the experiences, work and insights they gain throughout the year, and the results of their efforts near the end of the academic year. They encourage and support that sharing even after the year is over.
Application
For more information, visit John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship.
