News

Apr 13

Military Vets: Apply for Free Online Poynter Institute Journalism Classes

Since our founding in 2019, MVJ has done some awesome things for veterans in journalism. From a virtual career fair with the biggest names in media, to landing fellowship spots at NPR for our members, we are committed to delivering tangible results for our membership.

Our latest accomplishment: MVJ has secured more than $20,000 in Poynter Institute online courses for our members to take for free.

Made possible thanks to the generous support of the Craig Newmark Philanthropies, these courses will directly help our membership gain actionable skills that they can put to work immediately.

Poynter Institute has a treasure trove of training opportunities for journalists of every type. From courses focusing on how to become a better writer to courses on film and broadcast television, Poynter has it all

What this means for you:
You’ll have free access to some of Poynter’s popular courses. If you find these courses useful, we’ll find other ways to work with Poynter for even more training.

Here is the list:
Newsroom Readiness Certificate: Get ready for your first newsroom job by covering the basics of newsgathering, interviewing, media law, ethics and diversity

A Reporters’ Guide to Getting it Right: Learn how to secure accuracy and fairness in your reporting, well-before your deadline

MediaWise Fact-checking 101: Learn from tools and techniques you can use to fact-check information online and sort fact from fiction across social media platforms

TV News Toolbox for Educators: Bring duPont, Peabody and national Emmy award-winners from local and network news into your classroom with this collection of 38 microlearning activities

The Art of the Interview: How to find and court your story’s characters

Survive and Thrive in Freelance and Remote Work: Improve your effectiveness in your freelance solo act, side hustle or remote work environment

So how to start? Go here to create a free user account if you don’t already have one, and add up to three of these courses to your shopping cart.

Go HERE for the coupon code to access courses. If you’re not a member yet, please sign up.

Members can also apply through MVJ for a scholarship to some of Poynter’s limited-enrollment courses in 2021.

Those course are:

Poynter Aces Certificate in Editing: Six courses with six assessments: ideal for journalists looking to strengthen their understanding of the standards, essential skills and best practices of editing (normally $150)

Poynter ACES Advanced Editing Certificate: Two intensive training opportunities for experienced editors: a four-week online course that includes live online sessions, coaching, homework and discussion forums; and self-directed components include videos, readings, activities and assessments (normally $600)

Write Your Heart Out 2022: Uncover the powerful stories from your life and learn how to share them in ways that resonate with audiences during this four-week online course (normally $349)

Producer Project 2022: An eight-session, four-week online seminar that helps TV producers tell stronger stories and make tough calls on deadline (normally $499)

Apply for a scholarship to one of the above premium courses HERE

Lastly,

As part of our partnership with Poynter, Al Tompkins has agreed to host two courses valued at over $2,500 each. Al is a legend in broadcast journalism and has taught all over the world.

The two courses he will teach are:

Producing for TV News

Writing/Storytelling for Video

Both courses are free for members, so sign up today!

If you have any questions, please contact:

Rich Dolan
[email protected]

For customer support if you need assistance with the Poynter website or after you are enrolled in one of these courses, please contact:

Maria Jaimes
Poynter Customer Experience Supervisor
[email protected]

The MVJ staff hustles hard to create these opportunities for our members, so we really hope that you’ll take full advantage of what we have to offer. And we’re not stopping here. In the coming weeks, we’ll have even bigger news to share with y’all (paid fellowships!). Keep checking in to make sure you don’t miss it!

Apr 09

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Military Veterans in Journalism Becomes INN Member

By Devon Lancia News

Military Veterans in Journalism is pleased to announce it has joined the member network of the Institute for Nonprofit News, an organization that strengthens and supports more than 300 independent news organizations across the United States.

The Institute for Nonprofit News network brings together nonprofit, nonpartisan news organizations in dedication to public service journalism. Members of the INN Network tell stories that otherwise would go untold – connecting communities, holding the powerful accountable and strengthening democracy. As a member of INN, MVJ will be able to develop sound business models and collaborations to support our goal of advancing diversity in America’s newsrooms through veteran inclusion.

MVJ joins INN as part of a group of 18 new members within the first quarter of 2021. Other new members include 10 news startups, 12 newsrooms increasing local and state news, five outlets focused on national news and one investigative newsroom based in Canada. For a full list of news organizations joining as part of this group, see the official INN announcement below.

INN welcomes 18 new members

Jan 21

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New opportunities for members! Check out NBCUniversal’s internships

By MVJ Career Opportunities, News

As you start your journey into media and journalism, internships give you valuable insight and experience that you’ll unlikely find elsewhere.

That’s why Military Veterans in Journalism highly recommends applying for these exciting opportunities (listed below) from NBCUniversal. Sophomores with a 3.0 or higher pursuing an associate, bachelor or graduate degree in an accredited program for the duration of the internship are qualified to apply.

NBCUniversal’s Summer 2021 Virtual Internship Program offers positions (application links below) for a variety of interests and career goals, and prepares you for work at a top-tier media outlet.

“It’s crucial you fill out the Google Form here and apply quickly! Opportunities at top-tier organizations like NBCU can be difficult to come by, and I want to see our members succeed.” – Zack Baddorf, MVJ Executive Director

Submit your application as quickly as possible for top consideration, and no later than Jan. 29. We will flag your application with NBCU because they want to ensure they have a diverse group of participants.

If working at NBCU sounds appealing, or you just want to learn more about the work environment and corporate culture, you can also sign up for their upcoming virtual information session Tuesday January 19 – Here You can Be Authentic – where you will hear firsthand accounts of employees of varying levels and backgrounds providing insight into their own experience with the intersection of career and identity. Sign up at the link and be there Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

Thanks and good luck! As always, reach out if you have questions.

Jan 11

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MVJ Scholarship for Bitchin’ Writers Course

By MVJ Career Opportunities, News

The Bitchin’ Writers Course is an informal online class that teaches you how to pitch stories and sustain a career as a freelance journalist. The course normally costs $900 per person. However, Military Veterans in Journalism is offering a $700 scholarship to cover the cost down to $200 for two veterans.

According to Abby Lee Hood, the course designer and instructor:

“You’ll be delivered video content via my website and Facebook, get 1-on-1 calls, and participate in group calls. You can watch the content at your convenience, in a timeframe that works for you. Work through quickly or take your time. You’ll also be given action steps and homework to help you absorb the content and take steps to get results quickly. The FB group is a great place to network and ask questions, too. You’ll get continued support throughout.

We’ll meet once week on a small group call. You can ask questions to workshop problems you’re having, and we’ll look at pitches, ideas, stories, social media promotion—anything you need. I’ll also be available for one-on-one calls if you need them.

We’ll break our work down into into month-long focus areas:

Month ONE- Establish & learn the basics
Month TWO- Scale & grow
Month THREE- Promote yourself & diversify income”

Learn more about the course on Abby’s site.

Fill out this form to apply:

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Dec 30

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Adapt and Overcome: Video Journalism Workshop Kicks Off in Spring of 2021
By MVJ News

by Mark Payumo

The pandemic barely slowed Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) down, ending 2020 with sizable grants from generous foundations that allow MVJ to continue serving the needs of the veteran community with one simple goal in mind: to get more vets to work in journalism. MVJ’s video journalism workshop that is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2021 found a place in The Walton Family Foundation’s long-term vision for quality education in America, which will spearhead the sponsor of the workshop that will be attended by 10 military veterans. The University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media with support from FUJIFILM are also sponsoring the event.

Originally intended as an all-expense paid, 10-day workshop before COVID-19 that would have covered flights, lodging, food, and rental cars (to cover stories in and around Oxford, Mississippi), the workshop will now be conducted entirely online over the course of eight weeks, culminating in a film fest where a winning video will be selected for a prize—one of the judges will include Michael McCoy whose work was included in Time Magazine’s Top 100 Photos of 2020. FUJIFILM will provide and award an X-T4 camera kit valued at $2,199.95 to the winning video.

More than the high-profile entities and personalities coming together to make this workshop a reality, quality learning experience is the primary intention of the workshop that will equip the participants with this valuable skill in order to make them competitive in terms of what they actually bring to the table as they seek employment.

Setting them up for success is Duy Linh Tu of Columbia University, one of the most renowned professors in the field and author of Feature and Narrative Storytelling for Multimedia Journalists, the first text that truly focuses on the multimedia and documentary production techniques required by professional journalists. Alongside him teaching is Julian Lim, also a faculty member of Columbia University’s Journalism School. Julian is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer and co-founder and creative director of 511C Productions whose works have appeared on Bloomberg, Axios, Newsweek, and New York Magazine.

As the workshop’s Jan. 4 kickoff date draws near, MVJ is keen on posting updates across social media with a particular focus on promoting the veteran participants. One good starting point is on Facebook and LinkedIn. There are also other ways to support MVJ and the veteran community and it’s all about getting involved by becoming a member, mentoring a veteran, or volunteering. But if, say, you want to see meaningful impact for any potential dollar that you might want to put in, anyone can consider donating here and see MVJ in action bring in veteran energy, talent, grit, and dedication to work in America’s newsrooms.

Dec 24

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7 Echo Podcast interviews Military Veterans in Journalism founder
By MVJ News

7 Echo Podcast interviewed Military Veterans in Journalism founder Zack Baddorf.

Dec 06

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MVJ’s Top Veterans in Journalism
By MVJ News, Resources

Welcome! Thanks for your interest in nominating someone for MVJ’s Top Veterans in Journalism.

Military Veterans in Journalism wants to recognize the amazing veterans doing great work in media. This is just one opportunity for us to do that. We want to highlight the achievements and work that veterans in our field are doing every day, and support them in recognizing their expertise and contribution to the community.

Submissions can be made on behalf of someone that you directly work. Self-nominations are also acceptable.

The submissions will be scored on originality, production value, newsworthiness, and journalistic quality. Our panel of judges will apply their experience, editing standards, and personal background to understand how well a piece does in each category. Judges will be looking for accurate and insightful storytelling that engage them as the audience.

Submissions will be in the form of finished and published work. All submissions should include the original publishing or release date, all contributors, and the organization under which it was published.

Only work conducted by an veteran of the armed forces is eligible. While pieces developed by a team are acceptable, journalists involved will only be considered eligible if they are a veteran.

Please only submit one piece per nominee. Only stand-alone works are eligible. Please do not include multi-part series, segments, or alternate versions. If there is a composite work of a series, that is acceptable, but will be considered as a single finished piece.

All submissions should be work completed and made publicly available within the past eighteen months.

All forms of media are acceptable. Alternate or emerging forms of journalism such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Interactive Data Visualization and others will be considered. However all works, regardless of media type, will be seen by the same panel of judges and scored in the same manner.

While every submission will be scored, and selections for the list made, scores will not be released publicly. Outside of scoring, judges will be able to supply commentary if they wish, but not every piece will receive comments.

Please also give a brief description of why the nominee should be recognized in this forum. We’d like to know about the person themselves, along with seeing their amazing work!

Nominations will be closed on December 20, 2020 at 2359 Eastern.

Finally, you DO NOT have to be a member of MVJ to submit a piece of work, nor does the nominee, however we encourage you to join.

Nominations have closed. Thanks for applying. Be sure to come back next time!

Nov 11

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America’s newsrooms must hire more veterans
By MVJ News

By Zack Baddorf

A new, $250,000 Knight Foundation investment to Military Veterans in Journalism will support the military veteran community through journalism fellowships, virtual workshops and resource sharing.

On Veterans Day, we honor the service of our nation’s military veterans. About 7% of Americans — roughly 18 million people — have served in the U.S. armed forces. Yet veterans are shockingly underrepresented in America’s newsrooms. Only 2% of journalists are veterans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Veterans represent a cross-section of the country, bringing unique experiences, perspectives and technical expertise that are valuable for our nation’s newsrooms and ultimately media consumers. Their voices are critical for our democracy.

Today, Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) is announcing $250,000 in new support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to advance our work to place more vets in newsrooms. MVJ is a professional association that builds community for vets, supports their career growth, and advocates for diversifying newsrooms through hiring and promoting more vets.

We’ll use Knight’s investment to hire two new staff members and offer four paid, six-month fellowships for military veterans in local or national newsrooms. In addition, Knight support will allow us to hold a series of career guidance webinars for those who served, connect veterans directly with newsrooms, and create a program focused on developing veterans’ radio production skills.

As I transitioned out of the military in 2006, I struggled to find a job in journalism, despite working in the U.S. Navy as a photojournalist, building a portfolio and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism in my off-duty hours. I applied for dozens and dozens of media jobs across the country, but I got no response. I was deeply discouraged by this and still today feel like I failed.

Could I have done a better job on my resume? Could my portfolio have been stronger? Surely. At the same time, the media industry itself doesn’t place enough value on how diverse candidates can contribute to their newsrooms.

But this isn’t a sob story — ultimately, I worked as foreign correspondent as a freelancer in places like Syria, Afghanistan and Crimea. And most recently, I reported for The New York Times, the Associated Press and other outlets throughout sub-Saharan Africa while based in Bangui in the Central African Republic. I’m incredibly proud of my work.

What I didn’t have during my transition was a professional network or a mentor to guide me. I also didn’t find any newsrooms seeking to diversify their newsrooms by creating opportunities for veteran voices and perspectives.

That’s why I founded MVJ — to help connect vets with important opportunities. Since launching the organization, I’ve spoken to many newsrooms about potential partnerships. During one conversation, a senior leader at a large national newsroom struggled to name more than two veterans on staff. But this same person said they’ve long wanted more vets in the media.

The support for veterans must be translated into action.

Media leaders must actively hire more veterans and create opportunities for early-career hires, as part of a broader effort to diversify their newsrooms. Philanthropic organizations must work with organizations like MVJ to enable such opportunities as well.

Knight Foundation’s investment will help MVJ provide a range of opportunities for the veteran community. We owe it to those who put on the uniform of America to provide them with opportunities to strengthen democracy at home after they fought for it abroad. This investment is a great start, but we know we have much work ahead of us — and we are eager to find additional partners to ensure veterans’ voices are heard.

Zack Baddorf is the executive director of Military Veterans in Journalism.

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About Military Veterans in Journalism
Military Veterans in Journalism is a professional association that builds community for vets, supports their career growth, and advocates for diversifying newsrooms through hiring and promoting more vets. For more, visit www.mvj.network

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit KF.org.

Oct 25

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Marine Corps Veteran Dustin Jones Selected For MVJ/NPR’s First Internship
By MVJ News

Earlier this year, Military Veterans in Journalism partnered with National Public Radio (NPR) to offer a paid, remote Fall internship to one military veteran. NPR chose Dustin Jones, who served in the United States Marine Corps.

Dustin provided an update on what he has been working on since September.

“I have focused on the wildfires in California, tracking down and interviewing sources for the Weekend edition All Things Considered,” Dustin writes. “One story was about former incarcerated persons who hope to become fire fighters after serving their sentences. Another story was about the wildfires near Santa Rosa, CA and how the increasing intensity of wildfire season is making residents reconsider their choice to live in California.”

“NPR has long been a beacon in broadcast journalism, and their work to expand the diversity of their staff shows they will lead and innovate within our beloved field for generations to come,” MVJ President Russell Midori said. “Dustin’s work will inform you, inspire you, and break your heart. People trust him with their stories – stories they might never tell anyone else.”

Dustin spent four years in the Marine Corps from 2007-2011. He served on two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in the First Battalion Third Marine Regiment. Within that time, he exemplified strong leadership while selecting and training new platoon members. He also has won multiple awards, including two meritorious promotions and was selected as Marine of the Quarter.

While deployed to Afghanistan in 2009-2010, journalists from The New York Times were at his small patrol base. Marine Corps veteran turned journalist CJ Chivers and Photographer Tyler Hicks wrote several stories about Dustin’s unit and his friends. His passion and purpose for journalism flourished from the stories they covered.

“I realized that was what I wanted to do when I left the military, share people’s stories,” Dustin said. “So after leaving the Marines in 2011, I attended the University of Colorado, where I studied journalism and photography. I worked as a reporter and news manager for a small Montana paper for a year and a half before attending Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where I received my masters in journalism with a focus in documentary production.

Despite his accomplishments and familiarity with weapon systems, land navigation survival tactics, and training, the military did not fully prepare him for a career in journalism. Dustin spoke candidly about obstacles in getting his big break.

“I didn’t have much help after leaving the military, which definitely made the transition harder than expected. Classes were not particularly hard because of the work ethic I developed in the Marines, but I didn’t have many networking opportunities. When I graduated in 2015, it took me over a year to find a journalism job, which brought me to Montana in January of 2017,” Dustin said.

Dustin is now a well-rounded storyteller with skills in photography, writing, editing, and video production. He is currently producing a film about a Marine struggling with PTSD and suicidal tendencies in a VA inpatient program.

He is grateful that Military Veterans in Journalism secured an opportunity like this to help shape his professional growth further in journalism.

“My chances for landing the internship went up drastically because of the efforts of MVJ. I am also working with mentors to try and map out a career path and finding a home for some of my other work,” Dustin said.

Kristin Van Meerbeke has worked as the Talent Operations and Intern Program Manager at NPR for over two years. She assists with on-boarding new employees, works with our temporary employee population, and manages the intern program at NPR.

“We canceled our summer 2020 program because of COVID as we weren’t ready to pivot to a remote program so quickly and we wanted to make sure we were not only providing a rich experience for our interns; but also supporting our staff,” Kristin said. “We didn’t think we could do that so soon; but we brought our program back this fall in a fully remote capacity. We limited the number of positions from our typical 60+ to about 34 interns anticipating there would be some new and unique challenges offering our program remotely for the first time.”

An internship is a great way to get started in journalism. It allows for networking and getting hands-on experience, positioning one for a full time role. With NPR, interns will gain exposure to training, its daily operations, and work alongside world-class journalism professionals.

Sep 25

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MVJ-NBC Partnership: Internship Program
By MVJ News, Resources

We’re proud to announce that Military Veterans in Journalism has partnered with NBC Universal to help get more vets into America’s newsrooms.

We will flag the applications of MVJ members to NBC directly for consideration in their highly competitive (PAID!) internship program for Spring 2021.

Step 1: Apply here: https://www.nbcunicareers.com/internships

Step 2: Fill out this form so we can flag your application to NBCUniversal. https://forms.gle/pt2NnycE6WLX7M4K9

Deadline: Thursday Oct. 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern

Note: you must be a current member of Military Veterans in Journalism. More info: www.mvj.network/membership

Email us with any questions: [email protected]

Sep 16

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MVJ and Video Consortium Collaboration
By MVJ News

Calling all MVJ members in photojournalism and video journalism: Do you want to feature some of your best work for Veterans Day?

MVJ is proud to be teaming up with Video Consortium, a global nonprofit creative community committed to supporting and uniting today’s top emerging voices in documentary film and video journalism.

This is a chance to screen your nonfiction films and photography next month, and we’re asking for submissions. We would love to showcase your hard work and skills. From covering disaster relief efforts, to Black Lives Matter protests, to what is happening within our current news climate, this is an event you certainly don’t want to miss. This is an opportunity for you to connect with other veterans in the business while promoting your strongest work.

When deciding which films, videos or photos to submit, please keep in mind that it must be nonfiction and relevant. So if your film or video is a year old, ask why it must be shown today. Moreover, look at the visual and technical precision.

Here’s how it will work:

1) If your film or video is a long piece, then an excerpt will be shown.

2) Space is limited, so you have until Friday, October 30th at 4pm ET to submit. *Please note that in order to successfully submit your work, you must become a member of MVJ first. If you haven’t purchased a membership yet, click here.

3) If your film or video is chosen, you will also get the chance to do a virtual Q&A with Video Consortium and the audience later in November.

4) Submit your films to Video Consortium at [email protected] with “MVJ VC Submission” in the subject line.

5) We plan to publish a short teaser video that features all submissions on our social media channels before the Veterans Day screening. More details TBD.

6) Once we provide updates about our screening, feel free to post your work with our hashtags “#MVJVCEvent, #MVJVCFilms, or #VetsinPhotoJournalism.”

To learn more about Video Consortium, visit here.

Sep 09

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Activate Your Membership In Our New System
By MVJ News

Over a year ago, MVJ formally launched as just an idea and a little website. We’ve grown a lot since then and in order to maximize our full potential to support our community, we are implementing some new changes in membership here:

Let me explain.

MVJ started small — without a full realization of just how much we as a community can do to support our fellow vets in journalism. We are now more than 300 members. We have an all-volunteer team of about 10. We have created multiple ongoing (paid) internship programs and have several more in the pipeline. We have more than 20 active mentorships pairing members like you with seasoned journalism pros. We have held a range of events (mostly digital, thanks COVID), including an amazing career fair.

Here’s a breakdown of what we did in the first year.

And so, Military Veterans in Journalism needs to grow as an organization. Aside from many internal efforts that I won’t bore you with, we need to diversify our revenue streams (in non-profit / business speak). We’ve been speaking with leaders of other organizations like the National Association of Hispanic Journalists to learn how they sustain and grow. (Our new membership structure shares some similarities with theirs. Interesting how that happened. Nowhere near as pricey as others.)

So the big question: what are we going to do with your money? It’s an important one and we will always be transparent about that. We have some minor backend costs like website fees, but the bulk of our budget is dedicated to real programmatic costs like paying for Adobe Premiere subscriptions for our upcoming workshop on video journalism, held in partnership with the University of Mississippi and FUJIFILM.

MVJ is never going to be a massive veterans organization bringing in millions of dollars every year. We have programmatic needs within our community but they are finite. We have big dreams (and if you know someone who can give us millions of dollars, hit me up). Point is: we are nimble and budget conscious. Every dollar we spend is carefully spent.

Next question: What do I get out of this? First of all, you’ll have bragging rights about being a member of MVJ. That’s pretty cool. But more importantly, we are offering you a range of unique programs and opportunities tailored specifically to vets in journalism. For example, our mentorship program pairs you with seasoned professionals. We offer (paid) internships through our media partners. (NPR received 20,520 applications for 27 internship spots this fall. One MVJ member was guaranteed a spot in the program.) We are developing year-long (paid) fellowships and we have some really exciting opportunities in the works that I can’t wait to share with you, once the details are hammered out.

As you’ll see, we have multiple membership levels with varying levels of annual fees:

The vast majority of you will be Professional members with $30 due each year.

Some of you will be Student members at $25 annually.

Active duty service members dues are $20 per year.

Important: We want everyone to remain a member of MVJ. We are issuing no-questions-asked financial waivers each year. (Details on membership are included within the hyperlink of the first sentence.)

I know this is a lot but we want to be open with you about where we’re coming from and why these changes are necessary. You are always welcome to email me with ideas, thoughts, criticisms, whatever you want.

Sincerely,

Zack Baddorf
Executive Director, MVJ

Aug 27

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MVJ-Washington Post Internship
By MVJ News, Resources

We’re proud to announce that Military Veterans in Journalism has partnered with the Washington Post to help get more vets into America’s newsrooms.

As part of its 2021 Summer Internship program, the Washington Post will select one military veteran through MVJ to participate in its paid internship program.

The Post selects interns to fill various roles for reporters, visual journalists, multiplatform editors, multiplatform producers, news and digital designers, graphics reporters and developers, audience producers, and audio producers. (For summer 2020, the salary was $750 per week.)

This will be an important early career step for veterans working to advance within the media field. Each applicant must have had at least one professional news media job or internship.

Washington Post interns have become Pulitzer award winners and executive producers and editors. Working alongside top professionals in the field, interns do meaningful work across a variety of departments at Washington Post.

Applications for internships may apply online with Military Veterans in Journalism. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2020 at 6pm Eastern.

APPLY NOW and then email the required supplementary documents to [email protected] .

Aug 12

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Army National Guard Officer and Freelancer Gets Published Thanks to MVJ Mentorship Program
By MVJ News

Pictured are Army National Guard Officer Davis Winkie, a mentee in the MVJ mentorship program and his mentor, an award-winning journalist named Erin Siegal McIntyre.

NEW JERSEY- Military Veterans in Journalism highlights the benefits from its mentorship program with a recent testimonial from Award-Winning Journalist Erin Siegal McIntyre and Army National Guard Officer Davis Winkie.

Mentorship plays a key role in shaping professional and personal development in both the military and civilian sector. One of the main resources offered by Military Veterans in Journalism is its mentorship program, where a newly-transitioned veteran is paired up with an experienced media professional. Mentors and mentees have the opportunity to learn from one another within the program.

Director of Digital Strategy and Content Babee Garcia understands the value and importance of having a mentor in journalism.

“Networking is crucial in journalism,” said Babee Garcia. “This mentorship program helps build confidence and credibility for our mentees. Few of them earn success on their own, and need someone with insight to advance them in their careers. From personal experience, I am lucky to have great mentors, to include college professors and MVJ President Russell Midori.”

Davis Winkie, a Human Resources Officer (42B) in the Army National Guard, has many accomplishments under his belt, including a tour as an Administrative Officer for an engineering task force that planned field hospitals in North Carolina during COVID-19. Prior to his military service, he was a historian with a desire to research and write. He noticed the similarities between historians and journalists as both work to find the truth within storytelling. Determined to combine his skills and experiences, Winkie found his purpose —reporting with immediacy and a sense of urgency.

Since being a part of Military Veterans in Journalism’s mentorship program, Winkie has had a byline in The New Republic, Task & Purpose, VICE, and other national news publications. Winkie encourages veterans, who are pursuing a career in journalism, to take advantage of the tools and opportunities offered at MVJ.

“Programs like MVJ’s mentorship are extremely important to folks like me without traditional journalism backgrounds who have potential, but just need a little guidance,” said Davis Winkie.

He is currently still training in the U.S. Army National Guard while working as a freelancer and a contract job with the Digital Library of Georgia. He is building a digital exhibit about the history of racial violence in his hometown of Forsyth County, GA.

Erin Siegal McIntyre is an accomplished investigative journalist and author. In 2012, Beacon Press published her award-winning book “Finding Fernanda”- the basis for an hour-long CBS special investigation that was awarded a 2015 News Emmy. Throughout most of her career, she has been a freelancer, who published stories in the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Latino USA, and various other media outlets.

For McIntyre, this has been her first time providing guidance for her mentee. She speaks highly about Winkie’s work ethic and how the experience has been both instructive and inspiring.

“I’ve been impressed with his high level of organization, his excellent and prompt communication, his wit and humor, and his ability to consider immediate and long-term career options simultaneously—not to mention drafting and publishing pieces while on duty,” said Erin Siegal McIntyre. “Who wouldn’t be impressed? Vets have a skillset that lends itself well to both collecting and organizing information, which is basically the core of what journalists do. He’s also ambitious, which is a quality any journalist needs in today’s market. When I was starting out, many of my opportunities arose from the kindness of others. It’s really satisfying for me now to be able to open doors and help the next generation.”

McIntyre recalls a long phone conversation with Winkie, where they shared insight on professional networking, strategic planning, resumes, cover letters, planning a career trajectory, and other important building blocks to sustain a successful journey into journalism. They spoke about one of Winkie’s stories, brainstorming how to approach certain sources, and how to acquire certain kinds of information.

“I was so surprised to hear how fluent he is in public records requests; that’s a quality of utmost importance and he’s already very experienced,” said Erin Siegal McIntyre.

In some instances, McIntyre became the student, as Winkie taught her about his area of expertise.

“Davis was recently a PhD student in history at UNC-Chapel Hill, immersed in academic writing, research, and classroom instruction, and so our conversation ended with the tables being flipped: he gave me some advice on university culture and provided an insider’s on-the-ground perspective on the institution’s more recent history related to Confederate monuments on campus,” said Erin Siegal McIntyre.

She also spoke positively about giving back through mentorship and how it helps other journalists, saying “It’s nearly impossible to get anywhere in journalism without a robust network and a few people guiding you, at least a little. Even informal mentorship can be of outsize value; my fellow journalists are almost entirely accessible, generous, and kind…Those of us already working in the field consider it a privilege to help and pass along what we’ve learned.”

Potential volunteers can sign-up on MVJ’s website to participate in the mentorship program.

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Jun 09

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2020 NPR Internship is On Again, and fully remote!
By MVJ News, Resources

Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) is excited to announce that the internship program with National Public Radio (NPR) is on again! It’s specifically for military veterans, and it’s paid.

The best part? It’s completely remote.

The deadline to apply is Friday July 10 at 6 pm EST through MVJ at this link.

An internship is a great way to get your start in journalism. It allows for networking and getting hands-on experience, positioning you for a full time role. NPR Interns will gain exposure to training, NPR’s daily operations, and work alongside world-class journalism professionals. Thank you NPR for your role in supporting military veterans seeking to get started in the journalism world!

The program runs from September 8, 2020 to December 11, 2020. We’re really excited to offer this opportunity to MVJ members and hope that it will be the first of many internship/fellowship partnerships to come! Once again, the link to apply is here.

May 24

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A Memorial Day Reflection During COVID-19
By MVJ News

5/23/20 WASHINGTON DC: Riders with Flags of Honor arrived in Washington, D.C., to pay their respects to those who have give the ultimate sacrifice this year on Memorial Day weekend. Photo Credit: Andrew M. Byers

By Guest Contributor Jeff Walsh

Edited by MVJ Blog Editor Erich Reimer and Director of Digital Strategy and Content Babee Garcia

In October 1990, I took the oath of enlistment and honorably served in the military for 15 years. It has been another 15 years since my transition into the civilian sector again, but my pride as a veteran remains strong. Each Memorial Day, I reflect on my brothers and sisters in arms, who have inspired so many and paved the way for so many soldiers like myself. However, this year’s Memorial Day brings many obstacles in how to properly honor those who died and grieve.

COVID-19 has impacted us all, and made us adapt during these unprecedented times. On this Memorial Day weekend, we are not all enjoying a large backyard BBQ. There are no restaurants to sit in and social distancing is encouraged in every direction. Many parades and ceremonies are cancelled or moved virtually this year. Although we cannot celebrate this occasion under normal circumstances, we must pause to honor the brave men and women soldiers, sailors, Coast Guard, Airmen, Marines and National Guardsmen who lost their lives in service to the red, white and blue. We must reflect about the servicemen and servicewomen lost during World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, during and post 9/11, conflicts from Panama to Grenada, and other deployments.

At the same token, we should also pause for a moment of silence to honor those Americans, our fallen band of brothers and sisters, who left us much too soon due the silent and deadly coronavirus. Many of the newly departed will not have a proper burial or funeral for many months to come. We should also take a moment to thank the new modern-day heroes of this new global war that is being fought day and night in hospital wards and emergency rooms.

Some veterans continue serving others in different careers fields during COVID-19, including the medical profession. I was grateful enough to have worked within a medical-related MOS in the U.S. Army. From personal experience, some of my fondest memories were from the Medical Corps with two different MOS’ and two distinct medical jobs. First, I served as a 91B Army medic with the 2nd I.D.“Second to None” at Camp Casey, South Korea and then with 1st Armored Division “Old Iron sides” at Fort Riley, Kansas including a deployment to Kuwait. I also served as a 91Q Pharmacy Technician at Reynolds Army Community Hospital at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

This photo was taken in 1999 at Camp Casey in South Korea just 10 miles from the DMZ. Pictured are Jeffrey Walsh and his Army medical platoon of 1/503 Infantry Battalion.

As someone with a medical and military background, I empathize with the hardships that our frontline workers may be experiencing. Some of them will contract COVID-19 and risk the possibility of bringing it into their homes. Others will develop symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and/or depression. Some of them go above and beyond to communicate with loved ones via Skype or Facetime when in-person visits are restricted. These courageous men and women are going through similar challenges that military service members experienced. I admire their bravery and acknowledge them as well not only on occasion, but each and every day.

According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University and U.S. National Archives, there are over 5 million confirmed cases and there are at least 100,000 lives lost in the United States— more lives than the Korean War and more lives than the Vietnam War. As we have discovered on our mighty fleet of aircraft carriers and at our nation’s VA centers and veteran’s homes, the virus does not discriminate between military personnel, veterans or civilians. Let us also pause for a moment on this Memorial Day to also reflect on the veterans, who have lost their lives. Twenty years from now, some will tell their grandchildren that they were “Veterans of the COVID-19 Worldwide Pandemic.”

Let’s acknowledge the frontline workers, who are substituting kevlars, fatigues and combat boots with PPE. This new war is being fought day and night by a vast army in scrubs, masks and surgical gowns.

5/23/20 WASHINGTON DC: Riders with Flags of Honor arrived in Washington, D.C., to pay their respects to those who have give the ultimate sacrifice this year on Memorial Day weekend. Photo credit: Andrew M. Byers

EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece reflects the opinion of one of our newest Jeff Walsh, who served in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard from 1990-2005. He was on guard duty at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was stationed in South Korea near the DMZ.

May 13

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MVJ To Host First Virtual Career Fair
By Devon Lancia Career Opportunities, News, Resources

MVJ is excited to announce our first virtual career fair! This opportunity will offer MVJ members a chance to network and potentially interview for positions with some of the biggest names in the journalism industry. The event will take place via Zoom on July 1, 2020 from 10 AM to 2 PM. The registration deadline is June 22.

Sign Up for the MVJ Career Fair

The following are just some of the newsrooms attending this event:

New York Times

NPR

WSJ

Penske Media Corporation

ProPublica

NBC

CNN

FOX

The Daily Caller

Military Times

DiversityComm

Stars & Stripes

Task & Purpose

Forbes

Verizon Media

In order to help interested members be as prepared as possible for this career fair, we’re partnering with Penske Media’s Andy Limpus. Andy will join us for a virtual resume workshop, where he will share his biggest tips for resume success from over 25 years of experience. The workshop will take place via Zoom on June 3, 2020 from 12 PM to 1 PM. The registration deadline for this event is May 27.

Sign Up for the Resume Workshop

May 08

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Spring 2021 MVJ Video Journalism Workshop at Ole Miss
By MVJ News

We are very excited to announce that Military Veterans in Journalism will host eight (8) online sessions for a video journalism workshop for 10 military veterans in the early stages of their journalism careers in spring of 2021. The Walton Family Foundation sponsored this workshop.

Applications for this event are closed. However, we encourage you to check out our website for upcoming events and resources. COVID-19’s future impact on bringing people together in the coming months (and years) is still unknown. For now, we are moving forward with planning for these dates, but the timing may have to shift.

✏ In partnership with the University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media and with the support from FUJIFILM, this is a unique opportunity to learn from one of the most renowned professors in the field. Duy Linh Tu, Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University, will be the lead instructor. He’s a journalist and a documentary filmmaker, focusing on education, science, and social justice.

This course will teach you how to tell stories through video, focusing on the essentials:

• conceiving and structuring a story

• how to handle a camera

• using post-production software

• combining audio and visual components to deliver a story

Prior experience working in video and journalism, defined broadly, is preferable but not necessary. In addition to the video training, we will have several guest speakers throughout the week. As you know, video is a valuable skill for new journalists to bring to the table as they seek employment. This workshop will set you up for success and give you an edge up on the competition.

May 07

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COVID-19 Support Resources for Veterans and Journalists
By MVJ News, Resources

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives. Below are resources that we hope will help journalists, veterans, and others make it through this extraordinary time. Continue Reading COVID-19 Support Resources for Veterans and Journalists

Read More

Feb 26

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Apply Now For The (Paid!) 2020 NPR Internship for Military Veterans in Journalism!
By MVJ News, Resources

Update: This internship opportunity is on hold as a result of COVID-19. We will provide updates as soon as we have more details on rescheduling this chance to work for NPR.

Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ) is excited to announce that we’ve partnered with National Public Radio (NPR) to offer a paid internship in Summer 2020 specifically for military veterans! It’s paid, will be in either Washington DC, Los Angeles, or New York City, and the deadline to apply is March 6 at 6 pm EST through MVJ at this link.

An internship is a great way to get your start in journalism. It allows for networking and getting hands-on experience, positioning you for a full time role. NPR Interns will gain exposure to training, NPR’s daily operations, and work alongside world-class journalism professionals. Thank you NPR for your role in supporting military veterans seeking to get started in the journalism world!

The program runs from June 1, 2020 to August 21, 2020. We are really excited to offer this opportunity to MVJ members and hope that it will be the first of many internship/fellowship partnerships to come! Once again, the link to apply is here.

Jan 29

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Student Press Freedom Day And The Power Of Free Expression
By MVJ News, Resources

Student Press Freedom Day is a reminder of the importance of free speech and thought for all, including students continuing their studies at a time when their minds are encouraged to learn, ponder, and create. Continue Reading Student Press Freedom Day And The Power Of Free Expression

Read More

Oct 21

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Celebrating Excellence in Journalism
By MVJ News

For the past 48 years, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has recognized important contributions in broadcast and digital journalism. Amongst this year’s student Edward R. Murrow award recipients were my team and I for “Montclair News Lab: Hurricane Recovery In Puerto Rico” in the Excellence in Video Reporting category.

In March 2018, I joined a team of student and faculty journalists to document aid and recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria struck the island. Within a week’s time, our team explored areas that were impacted including education, tourism, businesses, destruction of homes, food distribution, and agriculture. We also formed friendships, overcame challenges, and created memories that will last a lifetime along the way- all while understanding the purpose and power behind journalism.

To have earned a Murrow award in the same room full of talented journalists, who have worked in the industry for years from various news organizations, was truly an honor. As I reunited with peers and faculty from my alma matter, I embraced this moment of recognition. I reflected on how valuable this trip was for our professional growth and development as the next generation of storytellers.

10/14/2019 NEW YORK, NY: The team from Montclair News Lab: Hurricane Recovery in Puerto Rico spoke to CBS National Lead Correspondent David Begnaud at the 2019 Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala. Photo Credit: Laura Galarza

MVJ Social Media Coordinator and Marine Corps veteran Babee Garcia poses with her team’s Edward R. Murrow award at Gotham Hall for their team project “Montclair News Lab: Hurricane Recovery in Puerto Rico.” Photo credit: Alfredo Garcia Rodriguez

It was a great opportunity to not only celebrate our achievements, but to network amongst other media professionals. CBS National Lead Correspondent David Begnaud took some time to congratulate my team. He also gave us great advice on continuing to spread awareness with our storytelling efforts, “Make sure you are promoting it [your work] as much as you can cause that’s how we serve a purpose.”

As a fan of David’s reporting in Puerto Rico, it was personally one of the best highlights of the night. It seemed as if our encounter had come full-circle since we had all told important stories from the island. As we walked on to accept our award, I acknowledged David was clapping and cheering for us backstage. Later that evening, we had also met Senator Bill Bradley, CBS News President Susan Zirinsky, and many others.

I felt proud that our work has been highly recognized by the Television Academy Foundation in California and RTDNA this year. However, our greatest reward throughout our journey had been having our stories being visible, shared and heard.

Our expectations in Puerto Rico were simple- to share stories with the intent to understand and capture the destruction of Hurricane Maria. It took a village, including the extraordinary leadership of our professors, to shape us into the skilled journalists we are today.

This entire experience has made me appreciate the value of journalism across all levels. Whether it is contributing to college journalism or a news organization with a large market, our voices matter. We, as journalists, work hard to highlight injustice and people serving their communities in hopes of getting others to listen.

If we are exercising the ethics, putting in the time, and sharing content, then we are all winners. With and without the awards, we continue to make a difference in bringing local and national attention on stories that need an active voice.

I am humbled by all of the amazing people I met and who have encouraged me thus far. After transitioning from the Marine Corps in 2016, I received the best college education from Montclair State University. Working with the students and faculty convinced me to seize every opportunity I could to be a versatile journalist, including traveling to Puerto Rico. I would like to thank everyone there, who helped foster my creativity and fuel my passion in journalism.

I would also like to thank Military Veterans in Journalism, a non-profit organization that serves others through impactful storytelling, for their continuous support. I am grateful to be a part of their team as Social Media Coordinator.

10/14/2019 NEW YORK, NY: From left to Right: Mariano Arocho, Krystal Acosta, Genesis Obando, Madj Traore, Laura Galarza, Babee Garcia, David Sanders, Kathleen Reddington, and Steve McCarthy at the 2019 Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala in Gotham Hall. (Not pictured: Thomas E. Franklin, Natalie De La Rosa, and Madison Glassman) Photo credit: Alfredo Garcia Rodriguez

Jun 10

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Join us: We are looking for interns
By MVJ News

Want to start on the ground level and work with an organization that is growing fast? Become an intern with Military Veterans in Journalism.

Military Veterans in Journalism is a professional association that builds community for vets, supports their career growth, and advocates for diversifying newsrooms through hiring and promoting more vets.

We launched on May 2 this year, and we are looking for an intern to support our membership and outreach efforts. Depending on how that goes, we’ll ask for you support in creating partnerships with journalism universities and veteran student groups.

We are looking for people with creativity who have ideas of how to improve the organization. Since we’re new, you’ll have the chance to make a big impact in our community.

We will train you on membership outreach and partnership creation.

We’d like someone to volunteer 10 hours per week but more time would be great, too.

Join our team and work with us as we move forward in our mission. Email us your résumé with a quick note about why you are interested. Let us know if you have any questions.

May 02

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Military Veterans in Journalism officially launches
By MVJ News

We’re proud to announce the official launch of Military Veterans in Journalism!

Military Veterans in Journalism is a professional association that creates community for vets, supports their career growth, and advocates for increasing newsroom diversity through hiring more vets.

While there is limited data available on how many military veterans now work as journalists, it’s clear they are underrepresented. Whether they worked as a culinary specialist, an EOD tech, or a public affairs officer, we believe veterans bring a diversity of thought and experience that should be more significantly leveraged by media outlets.

We will address this by talking to leaders in newsrooms and their human resources departments about the value that vets bring to the news industry as a result of their military service.

Further, we know veterans have a tough time breaking into journalism as a career. To address this, our all-volunteer staff will run a mentorship program to support veterans as they progress professionally in the media industry. We will also create community (mostly online but also through in person events) that will give vets a chance to network and support each other.

We invite you to browse around our website to learn more about our programming.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

If you’re a veteran working in journalism or aspiring to work in journalism, we invite you to become a member.

If you’re a journalist (veteran or not) interested in mentoring veterans, we invite you to become a mentor.

If you have any ideas, thoughts or want to get involved, feel free to get in touch: [email protected] . We’d love to hear from you.

While we are just getting started, we look forward to supporting our fellow veterans in media.

We will be holding an informally launch celebration with supporters at Alligator Lounge in Brooklyn, New York, at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.

Thanks in advance for your support!

— Russell Midori (MVJ’s President) & Zack Baddorf (MVJ’s Executive Director)