2015 Penny Bender Fuchs Diversity Fellowship

When: Aug. 26-29, 2015, at the University of Maryland

Sponsor: Society for Features Journalism

Who is this for: Journalists of color who produce arts and features content for news organizations or those interested in pursuing careers in arts and features journalism.

What it covers: Travel and lodging costs to our annual conference, plus a $300 stipend for conference-related expenses.

Application deadline: May 22, 2015

The Society for Features Journalism is committed to developing news-gathering staffs representative of the multicultural communities its members serve. Toward this goal, SFJ is sponsoring the Penny Bender Fuchs Diversity Fellowship Program for journalists of color in conjunction with its annual conference at the University of Maryland. Programming will have heavy emphasis on multimedia, leadership and writing.

Diversity fellows learn what’s happening in features departments nationwide while networking with outstanding journalists specializing in lifestyle coverage. Fellowships cover SFJ conference registration, airfare and hotel. Fellows will also receive a $300 stipend to be used toward conference-related expenses such as baggage and transportation fees and meals not covered by the conference. The fellowship is named in honor of the late Penny Bender Fuchs, a former executive director of SFJ who was a strong advocate of the fellows program.

Fellows are asked to contribute to the conference by completing a project and presenting a short report to the group at the conclusion of the event.

SFJ’s conference was inspiring, uplifting and all those sappy words that features writers are told not to overuse in their stories. It gave me a refresher course in mobile video, narrative writing and metrics, but it reminded me that there is still a reason to do journalism – and more importantly, features journalism. — Mariecar Mendoza, 2014 fellow

How to apply:

Application must contain ALL of the following:

• Resume
• Single-page essay explaining what you love about your job and how you have distinguished yourself in arts/features coverage at your news organization.
• Photo of yourself for conference program and SFJ website.
• Letter of recommendation
• Submit THREE work examples:
• For writers, three storytelling examples from print and-or online editions.
• For editors, three samples of sections or pages with comments on how stories were generated or edited.
• For copy editors, three headlines with stories attached, plus two stories with editing comments.
• For designers, three samples of single- or multi-page layouts.
• For journalists with online-only work, list Web links in your application letter. Include a short explanation of your role in site design and/or maintenance.

Deadline

Applications are due May 22, 2015. Selections will be announced by June 22, 2015. Email applications with PDF attachments to Marian Liu at marianbackstage@gmail.com. Questions: (954) 356-4429