NEW YORK – Two military veterans will be awarded nine-month fellowships in nonprofit newsrooms after graduating with master’s degrees in journalism from the City University of New York (CUNY), thanks to a grant awarded by Craig Newmark Philanthropies.
The Newmark Veterans in Journalism Fellowship Program is a partnership between Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ), the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
“Veterans are vastly under-represented in journalism despite our nation being at war for more than 20 years,” said Zack Baddorf, a Navy veteran turned journalist who is now MVJ’s executive director. “This partnership creates a unique opportunity for two military vets to get a jump start into the news world where their lived experience and expertise are desperately needed.”
MVJ and Newmark J-School will recruit veterans to attend the school’s 16-month M.A. in Journalism, M.A. in Engagement Journalism or M.A. in Journalism with a bilingual concentration.
“We’re proud to ensure that our school represents the diversity of our nation,” said Jeff Jarvis, director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism and the J-School’s Leonard Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation.. “Once they graduate, we know they will bring their perspective to diversify the outlook of newsrooms, letting veterans’ voices be heard.”
The veterans will be hired by newsrooms that are members of INN — a national network of nonprofit, nonpartisan news organizations. The fellowships will allow these individuals tol build portfolios of journalistic work and form a network of peers.
“Nonprofit news is a growing and mission-oriented field,” said Sara Shahriari, director of leadership and talent development at INN. “This fellowships program strengthens our member newsrooms’ ability to provide nuanced coverage of military and veterans affairs while also launching veterans into a new phase of their careers: public service journalism.”
Craig Newmark Philanthropies has previously provided support to MVJ in partnership with the Poynter Institute with a fellowship program and online educational training.
“Veterans working in the media have unique life experiences and skills that strengthen our media,” said Craig Newmark, founder and customer service representative of Craig Newmark Philanthropies and craigslist. “Our democracy will ultimately be strengthened by having more vets in our nation’s newsrooms.”
MVJ will also hold a five-day workshop as part of this partnership.
Applications for the program open in the Fall of 2021, and those veterans selected will start attending the program starting in the Fall of 2022.
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. Learn more at www.mvj.network
About the Institute for Nonprofit News
The Institute for Nonprofit News strengthens and supports 300 independent news organizations in a new kind of media network: nonprofit, nonpartisan and dedicated to public service. From local news to in-depth reporting on pressing global issues, INN’s members tell stories that otherwise would go untold – connecting communities, holding the powerful accountable and strengthening democracy. Learn more at inn.org.
About the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, founded in 2006, has become nationally recognized for its innovative programs. The only public graduate journalism school in the northeastern U.S., it prepares students from diverse economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds to produce high-quality journalism. As the profession rapidly reinvents itself for the digital age, the Newmark J-School is at the forefront of equipping the next generation of journalists with the tools to find stories and tell them effectively – using print, broadcast, visual, interactive, and social media. The school offers two master’s degree programs: a Master of Arts in Journalism and the nation’s first M.A. in Engagement Journalism. We also feature an M.A. in Journalism with a unique bilingual (Spanish and English) component. All of our master’s degree programs include a paid summer internship.
