Journalists are invited to apply for the 41st Stern-Bryan Fellowship, which is returning after a break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Calling early career British journalists
Are you an early career journalist who wants the opportunity to work at one of the world's most prestigious papers? Do you want to follow in the footsteps of James Naughtie, Cathy Newman, Mary Ann Sieghart, Gary Younge and Lionel Barber?
Every year, a British journalist gets the chance to spend three months at the Washington Post and write for the paper as part of the Laurence Stern fellowship.
“I would say the Stern Fellowship gave me the best journalistic training I ever had. Some of Britain's best journalists are graduates of the Stern Fellowship - and I don't think it's a coincidence."
Jonathan Freedland, Columnist, The Guardian
Past fellows have found themselves covering 9/11 and following the Obama campaign. This year’s winner will have a front-row seat covering Biden’s America, the mid-term November elections, and see hotspots around the country both for politics and issue-driven coverage.
Applications will be considered from any journalist, whether they work in print, radio, television or the web, in London or elsewhere in Britain.
Please note: This opportunity is not for students, but journalists who already have some years of experience.
How to apply
You should explain why you are right for this opportunity and attach:
- Your CV
- Two references, at least one from a present or former editor or producer
- No more than three recent samples of their work.
Please note:
- All documents should be submitted in PDF form (preferably in a single PDF document).
- Television or radio journalists may submit scripts or cite examples of their recent achievements.
- Candidates must obtain their references and submit them with their application.
- In case of joint bylined pieces, candidates must attach a short paragraph explaining which elements of the piece were their contributions.
- Highlight any multimedia contributions to your published work.
The application should be sent by email to Stern.fellowship@gmail.com
Or by post to: Dr Glenda Cooper, Department of Journalism, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V OHB.
Application deadline
Applications must be in by 5pm Friday 29 April 2022.
Interviews: Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed at City, University of London in mid-May.
Start date: August 2022
Previous winners of the Laurence Stern Fellowship
Cathy Newman, presenter on Channel 4 News (Stern Fellow, 2000)
Gary Younge, former editor at large of the Guardian and author of Another Day in the Death of America (Stern Fellow, 1996)
Liz Hunt, Consulting Editor (Features), the Daily Mail
"A shuttle launch in Florida; interviewing dairy farmers in Vermont; being pursued by police on the US/Canadian border; breakfast with Ralph Nader... I returned to London more confident, determined and ambitious. Stern was definitely a springboard in my career."
About the Stern Fellowship
The fellowship was begun by Ben Bradlee in honor of Stern, a Post editor who died at age 50 in 1979. Bradlee and veteran British journalist Godfrey Hodgson turned to Bryan, a close friend of Stern’s, to be one of the original organisers.
“Ben Bradlee once said to me that the Stern Fellowship was one of the things he was most proud to be associated with, and I feel the same,” Bryan said. Read the full story.