2024 Application Coming Soon!
The Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) is committed to increasing the representation of Indigenous journalists in mainstream media. One of the ways IJA supports and empowers members is through the annual Indigenous Journalism Fellowship (IJF), which is open to current Indigenous, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nations and Métis college students, undergraduate and graduate, pursuing media degrees.
IJF is an opportunity for students to deepen and broaden their reporting and multimedia skills, while learning from tribal journalists and news industry professionals from across the country.
Student fellows will work with mentors to produce coverage throughout the year. Several visiting mentors will provide specific digital skills training during the onsite newsroom experience.
Thanks to the support from sponsors and sustaining members, all student travel expenses including airfare, food and accommodations are covered by IJA for the newsroom immersion experience.
For more information about the fellowship or the National Native Media Conference, please contact IJA at contact@naja.com.
Strengthen Indigenous Voices, Support IJA Fellows
The Indigenous Journalism Fellowship for college students now stands alone as this country’s single most important career pipeline created specifically for aspiring Indigenous journalists. IJA is always seeking ways support this critical part of the organization’s mission.
Selected students come from tribal communities and universities across the nation to attend the National Native Media Conference and gain hands-on experience from IJA mentors, producing coverage of the event and surrounding Indigenous communities.
As part of the fellowship benefits, IJA covers the cost of all student travel, hotel, training materials and meals during the on-site newsroom experience, in addition to three hours of upper-level course credit through an accredited ACEJMC journalism university.
IJA provides college scholarships, referrals to professional internships and careers, and supports selected participants from across the U.S. The fellows run a student newsroom, directed by professional IJA mentors, producing important coverage of Indian Country.
IJF student newsroom sponsorships enable more Indigenous students to pursue careers in media by providing them with hands-on experience. Annual support of IJA scholars and fellows empowers the unique storytelling skills of Indigenous youth and provides a pipeline of talented professionals for mainstream and tribal media.
Become a Sustaining Member
Organizations can support IJF by joining IJA as a Sustaining Institutional Member. Sustaining membership includes annual membership for up to four staff / faculty, in addition to all Indigenous students in the media/journalism college.
Annual subscriptions are $2,000 and include opportunities for input on ethics guides and Indigenous media advisories, webinars or in-person trainings on best practices of media to IJA groups, listings on the IJA Job Board and more.
To run for the board, you must be a member with voting privileges who falls under the definition of “media professional,” and you must be at least 18 years old on the election date.