Calling applications for 19th News Fellowships 2025-2026
Applications for the 2025-2026 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper fellowship are open until March 31, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Meet 2024-25 fellows and see their work, and learn about 2023-24 fellows and their work. Plus, here’s a look at the work of 2022-23 inaugural fellowship cohort.
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Named for the “mother of African-American journalism,” the program was launched in 2022 to provide recent graduates, mid-career alums and former students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with yearlong, salaried fellowships with full benefits in reporting, audience engagement and news product management. Learn more about Frances Ellen Watkins Harper below.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellows will spend a year working in reporting, audience engagement and product management roles with full-time salaries and benefits, made possible by the generous support of Michelle Mercer and Bruce Golden. Fellows are embedded in their respective teams and receive mentorship and professional development . They also provide career coaching to prepare fellows for their path after their fellowship.
Fellowship tracks
Their cohorts include three reporting fellows, one audience engagement fellow and one product management fellow.
Fellows in the reporting track should expect to gain more experience in:
- Covering issues deeply through original reporting, researched context and nuanced framing
- Pitching stories they want to follow through the lens of equity and representation
- Identifying and developing areas of expertise within their reporting
- Exploring storytelling across digital platforms and in-person events
- Centering the voices and experiences of people on the margins, who are often affected the most at the intersections of gender and policy
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The fellowship year
The fellowship year kicks off in the fall with an opening retreat for new fellows, held in conjunction with a 19th event in a different city every year. Both new and outgoing fellows have the chance to connect and community build. New fellows have sessions that set them up for the year and beyond, like building influence and managing up, while outgoing fellows celebrate the end of their fellowship.
Location:
United StatesBenefits
Fellowship benefits
- $1,500 merit bonus midway through the fellowship
- $1,000 professional development stipend, which previous fellows have used to do online courses or attend journalism conferences
- $480 work-from-home stipend and $480 wellness stipend ($960 total) paid over the course of the year
- $100/month for coworking space membership (optional)
- Mac laptop, which fellows keep after the fellowship ($1,300-$1,500 value)
- Access to the fellowship’s hardship fund (up to $5,000 per fellow)
- Membership to the National Association of Black Journalists and attendance to their annual convention and career fair
- A mentor in their fellowship track through the Digital Women Leaders network
Fellows will also be eligible for most 19th employment benefits, including:
- Vacation Time Off (20 days per year)
- Sick Time Off (10 days per year)
- Personal Days (6 days per year)
- Paid Holidays (20 days in 2024)
- Paid Family Leave (100% up to 6 months)
- Caregiver leave (100% up to 4 months)
- 401(k) Plan (up to 3.5% matching on 6% contribution)
- Flexible Spending Plan (for qualifying medical or child care expenses)
- Health Savings Account
- Health, vision, and dental insurance (100% covered by The 19th for employee/60% for dependents)
- Long Term and Short Term Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Company expense account
Eligibilities
Eligible candidates should be any one of the following:
- A recent graduate (within two years of graduation), early-career (three to four years’ experience) or mid-career alum (5-10 years’ experience) of a Historically Black College or University
- A graduating senior of a Historically Black College College or University with a graduation date prior to the anticipated fellowship start date of October 2025
- An individual who attended a Historically Black College or University for at least two years, and either transferred or did not graduate
- All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This can include conditional student/work visas, provided The 19th will not be required to take additional steps in sponsorship
Eligible candidates should also have the following:
- Some relevant experience in their chosen fellowship track
- A genuine interest in growing their career in journalism
- Alignment with The 19th’s values and community guidelines
Application Process
How to apply
When submitting an application, prospective fellows will need to submit the following:
- A cover letter explaining why you want to work at The 19th, how our mission aligns with your career goals and interests and what impact this fellowship program would have on your career goals
- Your résumé
- Relevant samples of your work
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (22 Days Remaining)
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