Applications are now being accepting for the 2024-25 O’Brien Fellowship.
Donor Name: Marquette University
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 01/19/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
O’Brien Fellows complete an in-depth reporting project of their choosing on a topic of state, regional, national or international interest over two academic semesters.
A Unique Journalism Fellowship
- Report and produce an in-depth public service journalism project on a regional, national or international topic.
- Receive a $75,000 salary stipend and additional support.
- Fellows traditionally are in residence, but we are now taking remote or partial remote applications along with full-residency arrangements. The O’Brien newsroom is housed at Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication near downtown Milwaukee and the Lake Michigan shore.
- Publish or broadcast the project through your home news organization or, in the case of independent journalists, another outlet.
- Integrate Marquette’s best journalism students into your projects as reporters and researchers.
- Help identify a journalism student for a university-funded summer internship at your news organization or other publisher.
Stipend and Benefits
- A stipend of $75,000 for nine months for your salary, paid to your sponsoring organization, or directly to the fellow in the case of independent journalists.
- A residency allowance based on family requirements for fellows moving to the Milwaukee metropolitan area for the duration of the fellowship: up to $7,000 for a single, married or partnered fellow, up to $9,000 for a fellow with one child, up to $10,000 for a fellow with two children, up to $12,000 for a fellow with three or more children. Fellows submit rent receipts from the rental property owner. The allowance is paid in equal monthly installments over the course of the fellowship.
- A moving allowance of up to $7,000. (Fellows from the Milwaukee metropolitan area are not eligible for a moving allowance.)
- A travel and research allowance up to $9,000. This covers project-related travel as well as technology, data and document costs and equipment needs.
- Employee benefits continue to be paid by the fellow’s employer, where applicable. Independent journalists can choose to select Marquette employee health insurance.
- Fellows and their spouses are eligible during the fellowship for tuition remission (up to seven credits) for courses offered by Marquette University.
Project Period
Nine months, encompassing a full academic year from mid-August to mid-May.
Eligibility Criteria
It seeks applications from staff-employed or independent journalists residing in the United States or its territories. Applicants should have at least five years of professional experience and produce journalism regularly as an employee or freelancer. Applicants may be connected to print operations, radio, television, websites, podcasts, online publications, wire services, or magazines of general public interest. There are no academic prerequisites.
Selection and Criteria
- A proposal to produce a rigorous, multimedia public service journalism project with the potential to have major impact, lead to significant reform, and explain how individuals and groups can identify creative solutions to social problems.
- The ability to complete the project during the fellowship.
- The ability to integrate Marquette students as part of a reporting team.
- The capacity to ensure the greatest possible exposure for the reporting once completed.
- An advisory committee consisting of distinguished journalists and Marquette faculty and alumni interview candidates from a pool of finalists recommended by College of Communication journalism faculty. Following those interviews, the advisory committee will send a list of recommended fellows to the dean of the Diederich College of Communication for final review.
For more information, visit O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism.
