Deadline: March 11, 2024
Applications are open for the ICFJ Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders 2024. The Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders (PFP EML) is a two-way exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by ICFJ.
This exchange program is for media professionals (journalists, technologists, and media entrepreneurs) from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as U.S. media professionals, who are interested in harnessing the power of digital tools and helping to create and strengthen businesses that provide news and information in the public interest.
Media professionals from 25 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the United States, will be competitively selected for the program. The Latin American and Caribbean Fellows will have the opportunity to work directly with U.S. media organizations, develop entrepreneurship projects, and improve their skills in areas such as investigative journalism, fact-checking, and podcasting, as well as non-journalism-specific skills, such as how to build a sustainable business model.
U.S. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in American outbound programs to various Latin American and Caribbean countries. American outbound programs provide the opportunity to interact with media outlets in Latin America and the Caribbean and build lasting relationships with program participants and other professionals.
Program Components
The program has two components:
- A three-month virtual training series: Each month Professional Fellows will participate in up to five online training sessions such as, audience engagement, podcasting, data visualization, digital/physical security, etc., and have opportunities to workshop project proposals with other media innovators from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States.
- An in-person exchange:
- A two-day orientation conducted by ICFJ. The orientation takes place in Washington, DC where Latin American and Caribbean Fellows will meet each other and participate in sessions on key issues facing the U.S. media landscape. The orientation also provides time for ICFJ to provide further information on Fellows’ newsroom placements and answer any questions they might have.
- Four weeks of professional placements in newsrooms, etc. The program pairs Latin American and Caribbean Fellows with U.S. newsrooms, digital communications firms, and startup incubators, based on the fellows’ backgrounds, skills, and project proposals. During the placements, fellows will have opportunities to meet and learn from different teams in the newsrooms.
- Professional Fellows Congress. The congress is a large global conference that takes place in Washington, DC and is a unique opportunity to network and learn from other Professional Fellows from all over the world that work in various industries.
Benefits
- Selected fellows will have all program costs covered by ICFJ and the Department of State, including travel, housing, and emergency travel insurance. Fellows will also receive a stipend to cover living costs during the program. There are no costs to participate in the program.
Eligibility
- Must be between the ages of 25 and 40;
- Must be from one of the 25 eligible countries;
- Must be a citizen, national or permanent resident of their home country;
- Is living and working in their home country at the time of application;
- Has at least two years of professional experience at the time of application;
- Submits a complete application, with all required documents, by the application deadline;
- Must be able to begin the Professional Fellows Program virtually in 2024 and participate in the United States in 2025;
- Must able to receive a U.S. J-1 visa;
- Must be committed to returning to their home country after completion of the program;
- Must be proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application.
Eligible Countries
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago
Application
For more information, visit ICFJ Professional Fellows Program.
