ASU Cronkite School launches immersive Indian Country Today graduate fellowship

Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication has launched a new graduate partnership with the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) and Indian Country Today to support an outstanding NAJA member to pursue a master’s degree in the 2022–23 school year and produce content for the national Indian Country Today audience.

The fellow can select any of the three Cronkite master’s degrees offered on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus: Master of Arts in investigative journalism, Master of Arts in sports journalism or Master of Mass Communication.  

The newly developed program includes a 15-hour-per-week paid internship with Indian Country Today for the academic year. Participating students will earn $19,172 in salary (paid biweekly from August to May). In addition, students will receive free tuition for all three semesters of the Cronkite School master’s program, along with health insurance.

“This fellowship was a no-brainer to be part of, and we wondered why it didn’t happen sooner. This remarkable opportunity will allow students to dive into the field without any financial worries, see what a supportive network NAJA provides, and surround them with talented Indigenous journalists at (Indian Country Today). It’s an invaluable investment in younger journalists and Indigenous communities,” said Indian Country Today Editor Jourdan Bennett-Begaye (Diné), who is also a board member and education chair for the Native American Journalists Association. 

At Indian Country Today, students will work alongside Indigenous journalists from a range of experiences. The fellow will have unique opportunities to produce engaging stories for and about the Indigenous world for digital and/or broadcast audiences.    

To be eligible, applicants must be a NAJA member, have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution prior to the fall semester, apply for and be accepted to a Cronkite School master’s degree program to begin in the fall 2022 semester and commit to working 15 hours per week for Indian Country Today.

To apply, students must complete this form by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 17. For more information or to discuss this opportunity, email Aric Johnson at aric.johnson@asu.edu.

Written by Olivia McCann