Since 2020, California Humanities Emerging Journalist Fellowship program has provided student journalists at California community colleges financial and professional support to develop new skills and conduct in-depth local reporting projects. Throughout, the program is designed to incorporate the insight and perspective of journalism and the context and inquiry of the humanities, to encourage media literacy and civic engagement, and to provide a springboard for California’s next generation of journalists.
First launched in 2019 as part of the national Democracy and the Informed Citizen initiative with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through the Federation of State Humanities Councils, this program has since grown to include partnerships with community college campuses throughout the state.
In 2023, California Humanities has awarded $135,000 in fellowship funds in support of 36 student journalists enrolled at nine community colleges.
Participating campuses for 2023 are:
· Chaffey College (Rancho Cucamonga)
· City College of San Francisco
· El Camino College (Alondra Park)
· Fullerton College
· Los Angeles City College
· Los Medanos College (Pittsburg)
· Riverside City College
· San Diego Mesa College
· Sierra College (Rocklin)
During the nine-month fellowship period, students receive mentoring from Joaquin Alvarado, former Executive Director of the Center for Investigative Reporting and founder of Studio To Be, as they develop, pitch, and produce reporting projects about underreported regional California stories.
With the experience I gain at the fellowship program, I will be a step closer to the door of professional journalism where I can contribute and report on the issues that directly affect our society.
– Juan Mendoza , 2023 Journalist Fellow, Los Angeles City College
Thank you for this opportunity and for giving journalism students a voice and a medium. Your encouragement and dedication mean a lot to the next generations of Pulitzer winners.
– Sorina Szakacs, 2023 Journalist Fellow, Los Angeles City College
In recent years, public trust in journalism has drastically changed, making it more important than ever for student journalists to tell the necessary stories factually and objectively to rebuild the trust lost. Especially in a time of digital and social media, I have noticed how hard it has become to find accurate information not swayed towards a target audience, but student journalists are the writers of our future and creating an industry that is trustworthy, but diverse in all perspectives to create a stronger environment in storytelling.
– Aliyah Ramirez , 2023 Journalist Fellow, Los Medanos College
*Stay tuned for more 2022 projects added here!
In 2022, California Humanities awarded $150,000 in fellowship funds to ten community colleges to support student journalists throughout the state. The campuses awarded the 2022 Emerging Journalist Fellowships are:
- Bakersfield College, Kern County
- Chaffey College (Rancho Cucamonga), San Bernardino County
- City College of San Francisco, San Francisco County
- Fullerton College, Orange County, OC Sidewalk Vendors Struggle With Costly, Confusing County, City Permits
- Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles County
- Riverside City College, Riverside County
- San Diego City College, San Diego County
- Shasta College (Redding), Shasta County
- Sierra College (Rocklin), South Placer County
- Skyline College (San Bruno), San Mateo County
In 2021, $88,000 in fellowship funds were awarded to eight community colleges supporting 31 student journalists. Below are links to the 2021 Emerging Journalist’s projects:
- San Diego City College, The Highland Avenue Project
- Santa Rosa Junior College, Chronic Catastrophe
- Riverside City College, The Fight for California’s Great Lake
- Shasta College, This Is My Truth: Soy Mexicana and I Carry My Home on My Back
- City College of San Francisco, Student Journalists Examine What Economic Recovery Means for San Francisco Workers in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Los Angeles City College, The End of the Faultline (print), The End of the Faultline (video) Echo Park Night (video)
