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Fellowship Highlights

Every year, nine U.S. journalists are selected and awarded stipends of $10,000 each to cover fellowship project expenses. Fellowships may also be awarded to a team of journalists; in that instance, the total stipend will be divided evenly among the team members.

Fellows will be paired with advisors from the Journalism Fellowship Advisory Board to be mentored for the duration of the fellowship year. All fellows are required to establish learning objectives, maintain regular communication with their advisor(s), and provide updates to fellowship staff on their progress.

Fellows maintain total journalistic independence. The fellowship only requires that fellows report accurately, use appropriate language for reporting on mental health, and be transparent in their published project about the Carter Center’s support.

This is a nonresidential fellowship, which gives fellows a great deal of flexibility to work on their projects during the year. Fellows make two expense-paid visits to The Carter Center in Atlanta, both in September at the beginning and end of the fellowship year. During the first visit, fellows receive intensive training in mental health reporting, and meet with Journalism Fellowship Advisory Board members, Mental Health Task Force members, and other fellows to discuss their project plans. During the second visit, fellows present their completed projects and discuss challenges and successes in mental health reporting.

Fellows' Projects

Fellows are encouraged to select topics that are unique and creative. Projects may educate the public, raise awareness, explore solutions, and inform other journalists. The Carter Center provides resources through its network of over 250 fellows and scientific, health care, education, consumer, family, provider, and government agencies.

Fellowships are tailored to suit the needs, interests, and experiences of each fellow. They also help educate the public on mental health and generate information that could benefit the field of mental health and inform policy. The program encourages fellows to conduct a training session related to mental health and journalism for their peers during the fellowship year to help spread the knowledge they have gained. Training can be in a variety of formats, including brown-bag lunches, seminars, and panels. At the end of the fellowship year, fellows also have the opportunity to serve as mentors to incoming fellows and other journalists reporting on mental health.