We are excited to welcome six new fellows to our HBCU Student Journalism Network.

This is the second cohort of the paid reporting fellowship. We selected the fellows from a group of 50 applicants.

Meet the fellows:

• Rosegalie Cineus, a senior studying journalism and mass communications at North Carolina A&T State University

• Kendal Manns, a senior majoring in radio and television communications at Alabama State University

• Tatyanna McCray, a senior studying public relations at Florida A&M University

• Dejah Miles, a senior majoring in communications and journalism at Bowie State University

• Tamilore Oshikanlu, a senior studying political science at Howard University

• Chloe-Ryan Woolfolk, a senior majoring in journalism and mass communications at Norfolk State University

These students will cover their campuses for regional and national audiences while exploring the trends affecting all historically Black colleges and universities. They also will participate in professional training and networking.

Topics the fellows said they are most excited to cover include campus housing shortages, student mental health, and athlete endorsement deals. Select stories will be co-published in national outlets — prior fellows’ stories ran in The Washington Post, Capital B, and Verité News, among others.

Oshikanlu said in her fellowship application that she is “driven by the desire to uncover stories that would otherwise remain hidden, to shed light on important issues, and to give a voice to marginalized communities.”

Training student journalists

Open Campus created the network last year, in partnership with veteran HBCU journalist Jarrett Carter, Sr.

Carter serves as the network’s program mentor. Wesley Wright, assistant director of student media at Florida Atlantic University and a former education journalist, is the assistant editor.

• Wesley recently spoke to Editor & Publisher for a feature on the fellowship: “We really see some value in seeing how the lightbulb comes on for the student journalists,” he said. “It will help them in a way they may not have gotten working for the student newspaper.”

In addition to receiving editing and coaching from the Open Campus team, the fellows also receive one-on-one mentorship from professional journalists around the country.

Join our team

Interested in being a fellow? Our application for the spring cohort is now open. Read FAQs about the application process and apply here by Dec. 1. The spring fellowship will start in early 2024.

Plus, we’re hiring a race and equity editor to support our fellows and deepen coverage across the country. Learn more and apply by Aug. 18.

Have an idea for us, or want to support the work of our fellows? Please email us: [email protected].