Fall 2014 Joan Shorenstein Fellows

Overview
 

The mission of the Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program is to advance research in the field of media, politics and public policy; facilitate a dialogue among journalists, scholars, policymakers and students; provide an opportunity for reflection; and create a vibrant and long-lasting community of scholars and practitioners. The primary focus for a Fellow is to research, write and publish a paper on a media/politics topic. It is a highly selective program; only a very small percentage of applicants are accepted.

The Center hosts eight one-semester residential fellowships each year (four per semester). Fellows conduct research; engage with students, faculty and the Harvard community; and participate in the various events associated with the Shorenstein Center. Fellows’ research and ideas are presented at weekly research meetings where they discuss and defend their project before a group of peers. Recent projects have been published in the Columbia Journalism Review, Foreign Affairs, The New Republic and Fortune magazine and have been reported on in The New York Times.

Since 1986, the Fellowship Program has brought more than 250 accomplished journalists, scholars and politicians from around the world to the Center. Joan Shorenstein Fellows work closely with Harvard students and often serve as longtime mentors. Past Shorenstein Fellows include TV news anchors; national and international print, radio and television reporters; digital news innovators; presidential media advisors; leading scholars and policy analysts.

Eligibility

1. Must be a full-time journalist, politician, scholar or policymaker currently active in the field.

• Journalist: Reporter, editor, producer with a minimum of five years experience at a news organization (print, broadcast, Internet) immediately prior to submitting Fellowship application.
• Politician: Someone who has campaigned and been elected to a national or high-level state office.
• Scholar: Tenured or tenure-track professor in political science, political communication, journalism, international political communication with a strong record of book and journal publications. The applicant must be employed by a college, university or research institution for seven years or more.
• Policymaker: High-level official in a cabinet office or adviser to a candidate for national office. Minimum 10 years experience in equivalent role.

2. Must be available to be in residence, full-time, for one semester (September through December or February through May) in Cambridge, MA.
3. The applicant should not have participated in another fellowship within the two years prior to their preferred semester at Harvard.
4. Applicants must be fluent in English – listening, reading, writing and speaking. Non-native English speakers must provide TOEFL or IELTS score.
Applicants who do not meet these requirements cannot be considered.

Financial Assistance

Stipend is $30,000 for one semester. Travel and living expenses are not covered by the Shorenstein Center. Office space, computer and telephone are provided.

Funding

This fellowship honors Joan Shorenstein Barone and is supported by the generosity of the Shorenstein family, the Jessie B. Cox Trust, the Gardner Cowles Trust and the Goldsmith Fund of the Greenfield Foundation.

Apply

Applications are due February 2, 2015. 

Questions? Contact Katie Miles: katie_miles@hks.harvard.edu or by phone: 617-496-8636.