Meet the newest class of Tribune fellows

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Most of our fall fellows are Texans, by birth or by choice, and are motivated to make their communities stronger through journalism. Many said they chose The Texas Tribune because our mission to inform and engage with Texans about public policy, politics and government resonates.

“I want to have the ability to tell true, honest stories,” design fellow Karishma Bhuiyan said in her application. “I plan to not only contribute toward sharing diverse stories, but I truly want to voice underrepresented communities through media, design and journalism.”

In us, they see their future selves.

Of El Paso-based reporter Uriel J. García’s coverage of the Uvalde shooting and aftermath, University of Texas at Austin reporting fellow Kevin Vu said: “He provides a look into forgotten stories centered around the people most important to these stories. I hope I can do the same.”

But they are clear-eyed about the challenges the industry faces.

“With the increase in distrust toward media, I want to learn more about my role in making journalism transparent, trustworthy and easy to consume for marginalized groups,” said Texas A&M University reporting fellow Caroline Wilburn. “I believe this starts at the state level by ethically reporting on underrepresented areas.”

The Tribune’s fall fellows are full of potential. They recognize this fellowship as a huge opportunity to help launch their careers and are ready to get to work.

Fellows play key roles in the most important work of the Tribune, helping with The Texas Tribune Festival and covering the biennial legislative sessions, elections, education and the environment, among other important topics. See recent work by Texas Tribune fellows here.

“Journalism has become a part of who I am as a person,” Vu said.

Generous donors have bolstered the Tribune’s fellowship program, establishing named fellowships such as the Tobin Endowment Fellowships and the Dallas Press Club Foundation Fellowships, as well as Martin Taylor's underwriting of the Tribune HBCU Fellowships. We are grateful for their support.

The Tribune is happy to foster these young professionals and early-career journalists. Learn more about Tribune fellowships here. And please keep an eye out for the work of the amazing fellows listed below:

Karishma Bhuiyan is a design fellow, ensuring visual consistency across brand products and platforms. She is a graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Texas at Arlington. Karishma was born and raised in Dallas and is a native Bangla speaker. She has studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea. In her free time, you’ll find her scrolling through the depths of the internet or rewatching her favorite films.

Meadow Chase is a marketing and communications fellow and a senior studying journalism at Texas State University in San Marcos. Previously, she was an editorial intern for Texas Highways magazine, a digital editorial intern for Tribeza magazine and the engagement editor for The University Star, Texas State’s student-run news organization. Meadow grew up in Magnolia, northwest of Houston.

Ali Juell is an Austin-based reporting fellow. She is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is studying journalism. She was raised in Hawaii and northern California. Before joining the Tribune, Ali was an editorial intern at The Austin Chronicle and a senior reporter for The Daily Texan covering state and campus politics. In her free time, Ali enjoys running and making homemade pasta.

Sophia Navarro is an audience and engagement fellow. She is majoring in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and will graduate in May. Sophia has worked as associate social media editor at The Daily Texan, UT-Austin’s daily paper, and as a marketing and social media intern for the Texas Exes, a campus alumni association. She was born and raised in El Paso. You can always catch her listening to Harry Styles with an iced coffee in hand.

Maia Pandey will be a reporting fellow based in Austin. Born and raised in Boston, she is a Northwestern University senior studying journalism and creative writing. She has worked for the breaking health news team at NBC News and at Block Club Chicago. Her reporting on health and homelessness has appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal, City & State New York and United Press International. She is fluent in Nepali and Hindi.

Keaton Peters is a reporting fellow who grew up in the rural community of Woodfords, California, near the Nevada border. Keaton is studying for a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has reported on the environment, politics and education for the online student publication Reporting Texas. He also has written for the Austin American-Statesman and Inside Climate News. Keaton is a dedicated cat dad and guitarist in a local band.

Meredith Roberts is an engagement fellow based in Austin, where she is studying radio-television-film journalism. Meredith has contributed to The Daily Texan’s video and illustration teams since September 2022 and is the stop-motion lead for Texas Student Television’s animation department. She has created short films for nearly 10 years. Although animation is her focus, she is very excited to expand her skills in multimedia journalism.

Dallas Press Club Foundation Fellow Ayden Runnels is a reporting fellow based in Denton in North Texas. Ayden was born in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake and speaks English and Arabic. They serve as editor-in-chief of the North Texas Daily, the University of North Texas' student-run newspaper, and have worked on freelance projects for Newsweek and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Julius Shieh is a photography fellow. A senior at the University of Texas at Austin, he is studying history and English. Julius has worked as the photo editor at The Daily Texan, as a digital intern at KTBC-TV and as a photographer for Texas Connect, a UT employee publication. Julius is from Parsippany, New Jersey, and can speak French and Chinese. When he isn’t behind the camera or editing photos, he enjoys cycling, cooking and making coffee.

Jacarious Stanley returns to the Tribune as an events fellow. He is a graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and is studying for a teaching certificate at Huston-Tillotson University. In his free time, he can be seen playing at venues around town as he loves to emerge himself in the vast music culture that Austin has to offer.

Victoria Stavish is a data visuals fellow. A senior at the University of Maryland, she is studying journalism and information science. She is the data editor at The Diamondback, the university’s independent student publication, and has been a data intern at The Baltimore Sun and the university’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism. Victoria is from Columbus, Ohio, and loves volleyball, reading and trivia.

Kevin Vu is an Austin-based reporting fellow. Born in Houston, Kevin attends the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies journalism and has worked as a news reporter and editor for The Daily Texan, the campus paper. Kevin’s work has appeared in the Austin American-Statesman and on NPR's Next Generation Radio. He previously interned at NewsGuard, which combats misinformation. On his off days, you can catch Kevin cooking and catching up on shows.

Caroline Wilburn is a reporting fellow based in College Station. Previously, Caroline interned with The Bryan-College Station Eagle, where she reported on crime, education and health. She was born and grew up near Dallas before attending Texas A&M University, where she studies journalism. She previously served as the news editor at Texas A&M’s independent student-run newspaper, The Battalion.

Grace Yarrow is a reporting fellow based in Washington, D.C. She recently was a business reporting intern at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She previously interned at The Hill and the Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, California. Born in Washington, D.C., she moved around the country before returning to the East Coast to attend the University of Maryland. She will graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a concentration in sociology.

Disclosure: Huston-Tillotson University, Northwestern University - Medill School of Journalism, Texas A&M University, Texas Exes, Texas Highways Magazine, University of Texas - Arlington, University of Texas at Austin, Tribeza and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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The full program is now LIVE for the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 21-23 in Austin. Explore the program featuring more than 100 unforgettable conversations coming to TribFest. Panel topics include the biggest 2024 races and what’s ahead, how big cities in Texas and around the country are changing, the integrity of upcoming elections and so much more. See the full program.