T-Squared: New journalism fellowship for HBCU students

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The Texas Tribune produces explanatory, investigative and watchdog reporting in support of democracy. We seek to hold events where public officials and newsmakers answer for what they have or haven’t done and for their use of the public’s money. We build interactive web tools that help our readers to be more informed and engaged in their own governance. And as we charge full steam ahead on achieving those goals, we realize that how we get there matters.

Among the questions we ask ourselves: Are we shining a spotlight in areas that need it most? Which voices should we hear more from in the community and inside our organization? As we work toward achieving our goals, who are we lifting up along the way?

As part of our answer to the last question, the Tribune is launching a fellowship to deepen relationships and recruiting at historically Black colleges and universities. The effort honors our organizational commitment to reflect the demographics of the state of Texas, and honors the tradition of HBCUs of nurturing some of the most powerful and influential journalists in our nation’s history. Their ranks include Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who in her coverage of lynching pioneered investigative journalism techniques still in use today.

Thanks to the support of donor Martin Taylor, the Tribune is dedicating a fellowship position in each spring, summer and fall semester for an HBCU student. Eligible candidates are undergraduate or graduate students from any Texas HBCU and Texas high school graduates attending any HBCU across the U.S.

We're looking for fellows who want hands-on experience in all aspects of a modern news organization, including copy editing, data visuals, design, engagement, engineering, events, marketing and communications, multimedia, photography, and reporting in Texas and Washington, D.C.

The window to apply for our 2023 spring and summer HBCU fellowships is open through Sunday, Dec. 11. Interested candidates may apply for more than one fellowship and may apply for both spring and summer. Tribune fellows are paid $6,000 a semester.

Spring fellows must be enrolled in school for the spring semester; summer fellows can be recent graduates. Most fellows will work from Central Texas, but we are looking to fill a reporting position with a candidate in the D.C. area and will consider design and engineering candidates who would work remotely.

Click here for more information about applying for Texas Tribune fellowships.

Tribune fellows each receive a mentor, as well as professional development in a variety of areas, such as Texas politics, investigative reporting and audience engagement. Our fellows produce groundbreaking journalism on various topics, including the pandemic and the Texas Legislature. They also plan events, like the annual Texas Tribune Festival, and support the product, engineering and design efforts that make our digital newsroom possible. See some of our fellows’ amazing work here.

The Texas Tribune is at the nexus of digital-first journalism and nonprofit public-interest journalism. We’re a place where employees work side by side to produce game-changing work and where emerging talent — maybe the next Ida B. Wells-Barnett — can hone their craft.