American Press Institute Offers Summer Fellowship

Change the future of journalism with a summer fellowship at API. (Photo by euranet_plus, Flickr)

Do you dream of making your mark on the journalism world? Have you got an idea that could innovate how news rooms operate? If you’re a j-school student or recent graduate, then you’re in luck, because the American Press Institute wants to help you achieve your dreams!

API is looking for someone to be its summer fellow. This is different than an internship. You won’t be fetching coffee or transcribing audio. Instead, you’ll forge your own fellowship project and will complete it in 12 weeks, start to finish. Best of all, API will guide you to help make your project a reality.

This year, applicants should create an outline of their proposed projects within one of the following three areas:

1. Audience behavior and analytics. This should speak to all you techies out there who love digital platforms and plowing through mountains of data. If you follow this track you will show news rooms how to pick what stories to cover first, based on audience reactions and expectations.
2. Diversity and empathy. Has the onslaught of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic tensions got you in a tither? Then help news organizations work toward a more harmonious world through improved staffing, thinking styles and coverage of today’s stories.
3. State and local accountability reporting. Influence how local media outlets can improve their watchdog journalism in ways that better inform and enlighten the communities they serve by creating tools and resources to assist today’s journalist.

To help you make this fellowship a reality, API will provide a $7,500 stipend to the individual who is granted this opportunity. The job begins June 1 (or thereabouts, there’s a little flexibility here), lasts for 12 weeks, and is located in Arlington, Va.

To apply, or to get more information, visit the American Press Institute’s website. Applications should be submitted ASAP. The deadline to apply is Jan. 16. If you’re passionate about the future of journalism, this is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss!