Pulitzer Center Partnership

As a member of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting’s Campus Consortium, each summer a student is awarded a fellowship to complete an independent reporting project, with preferred focus on issues that reflect international concerns and have been unreported or under-reported in the mainstream media. Students are mentored by Pulitzer Center grantee journalists as well as Pulitzer Center staff. Final projects are featured on the Pulitzer Center website, with publication possible via other news-media outlets. In addition, the selected student attends the annual fellows weekend in Washington, D.C., which broadens their horizons, exposing them to the work of student fellows from other institutions and providing opportunities to network with professionals in journalism and other fields.

Application Timeline

• October/November — Info Session with Pulitzer Center staff
• January 15 — Applications open
• February 15 — Applications due
• February/March  — Applications are reviewed
• March/April — Decision rendered
• Summer  — Fellow completes their reporting project with mentorship from the Pulitzer Center
• Fall  — Fellow participates in Washington Weekend and reports back to Swarthmore College
• Spring — Fellow serves on committee to select next year's finalists

To complete an application, students will need:

• A short project description (250 words), timeline, and budget
• An engaged scholarship essay (750 words)
• A short response regarding potential challenges (250 words)
• At least two work samples
• A current resume or CV
• A current transcript
• Contact information for three academic or professional references

An info session about this opportunity for Summer 2022 took place on October 27, 2021. Individuals with Swarthmore credentials can view a recording of the Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellowship Info Session for Summer 2022. A PDF of the Summer 2022 application is available for students who would like to view the application before completing the form.

Before applying, students are encouraged to schedule an advising session with Katie Price and consult the Pulitzer Center Campus consortium fellowship information page as well as the Lang Center’s Summer Grants Handbook.

Eligibility

The fellowship is open to all current Swarthmore students in good standing. Students are invited to apply with international or domestic projects that focus on a pressing social issue. Please keep in mind that all international projects must receive approval from Swarthmore’s International Travel Risk Management Committee.

Requirements

• Complete an independent reporting project under the mentorship of Pulitzer Center staff and a mentor
• Publish on the Pulitzer Center webpage and other outlets as appropriate
• Attend Washington Weekend with other Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellows the October following the fellowship
• Serve on the selection committee for next year’s fellow

Resources

Journalistic Ethics

• National Public Radio (NPR) Ethics Handbook
• Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Code of Ethics
• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics 

Pulitzer Fellows

Eder Ruiz Sanchez '25

Swarthmore College's 2024 Pulitzer Fellow  is Eder Ruiz Sanchez '25. He investigated the impact of climate change and trade policies on the agricultural practices of campesinos in Central Mexico, particularly focusing on maize (corn indigenous to the Americas) cultivation. 

Jacinta Fernandes-Brough '24

Swarthmore College's 2023 Pulitzer Fellow is Jacinta Fernandes-Brough '24. Jacinta's project will examine the growth of women's football in Nigeria and the experiences of national team players ahead of the upcoming 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Zane Irwin '23

Swarthmore College's 2022 Pulitzer Fellow is Zane Irwin '23. Zane's project looked at how Cameroonians are seeking new ways to stay informed. He writes, "Public channels like CRTV don’t cover the full story, and international outlets like RFI report from a distance. But despite government opposition and other barriers to access, local alternative news sources are attracting more attention. What are these sources, and what effect are they having? How do Cameroonians report on Cameroon?" 

Ramiro Hernandez '23

Swarthmore College's 2021 Pulitzer Fellow is Ramiro Hernandez '23, whose project is based in Hidalgo, Texas. Citizenship status is a key factor in much of the decision-making within immigrant communities in the United States. Left without other tangible pathways to attain citizenship, many immigrants have historically resorted to serving in the armed forces with the promise of being granted citizenship for themselves and/or their loved ones after fulfilling their contract.  Ramiro's reporting project led to a publication, in Spanish, with El Debate.

Anya Slepyan '21

Swarthmore College's 2020 Pulitzer Fellow is Anya Slepyan '21, whose project is based in Kyrgyzstan. Despite the fact that Kyrgyzstan is responsible for only 0.034% of annual global emissions (compared to the United States' 14.8%), Kyrgyzstan (and all of Central Asia) is predicted to be one of the places most devastated by climate change. Anya's goal in this reporting project was to investigate the global nature of climate change and the resulting inequalities through the stories of some of the people who are most impacted but least responsible for the crisis.  Note: Due to COVID-19, Anya's travel plans were derailed. She worked closely with the Pulitzer Center to re-imagine her project, which ultimately focused on mine reclamation in Appalachia. Anya's reporting resulted in a story published by Southerly. 

Pulitzer Center Partnership Contact

Emily Paddon Rhoads

Associate Professor

On Leave - Academic Year

Political Science

Peace & Conflict Studies

Contact

1. Email:erhoads1@swarthmore.edu
2. Phone: (610) 328-8689
3. Trotter Hall 305
4. Office Hours: On Leave Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Links

1. Profile
2. Personal website

Katie Price

Director, Community Engaged Learning & Special Projects

Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility

Contact

1. Email:kprice1@swarthmore.edu
2. Phone: (610) 328-7780
3. Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility 201
4. Office Hours: Schedule a virtual appointment with Dr. Price.

Links

1. Profile