Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

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PDF: 2010 Academic Fellowship Application Form

No matter what the beat or medium, a career in news media is likely to place young journalists face to face with human tragedy. Rookie reporters and photographers are often assigned to cover police or courts, or are called to help cover a community tragedy. Whether covering homicide, sexual assault, accidental death, combat or natural disaster, few student journalists are trained to recognize trauma and stress reactions in survivors, to make informed ethical choices about trauma news, or to deal with their own emotional reactions while on the job.

With this in mind, the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, has established a new Academic Fellowship Program. The fellowship is designed to prepare educators to teach effective trauma journalism — the art of newsgathering, storytelling and self care in the midst of profound human tragedy and its aftermath.

The Dart Center Academic Fellowship will take place at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, June 17 through 19, 2010.

The fellowship will provide up to 12 college and university journalism educators with three days of seminars, training and discussion, as well as financial support for innovative curriculum development. The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma will provide airfare and hotel in New York City for each fellow. In addition, fellowships will include up to $500 in post-seminar support for each fellow to design and implement educational projects.

The fellowship programs will cover:

• The science of trauma:  Fellows will hear the latest on brain science and trauma reactions; how best to work with to people who have experienced traumatic events; and how to incorporate trauma science into the journalism curriculum.
• Newsgathering in the midst of trauma: Fellows will discuss and practice effective and sensitive newsgathering techniques, particularly interviewing and ethical decision-making, and share and review exercises and strategies to use when teaching reporting skills.
• Storytelling through words and images:  Experienced journalists and journalism educators will discuss how to build informative, compelling narratives about trauma that offer vital information to individuals and communities in crisis.
• When tragedy affects student journalists: Student journalists routinely cover tragic stories on campus, often about people they know. Fellows will discuss how to prepare students to make good personal and professional decisions while doing their job.

Who is Eligible

The Dart Center Academic Fellowship program is open to college and university journalism faculty working in the regions of major Dart Center programs (North America, Europe and Australasia).

How to Apply

To apply, please submit the following:

1. A completed copy of the application form (PDF)
2. A letter of interest
3. A resume or CV
4. If applicable, an example of your work (syllabus, writing sample, etc.)
5. A letter of support from your department

North American applications should be mailed or emailed to:

Dr. Meg Spratt
Dart Center West
University of Washington Department of Communication
Box 353740
Seattle, WA 98195
uwdart@u.washington.edu

European applications should be submitted to Dart Centre Europe.

Australasian applications should be submitted to Dart Centre Australasia.

Deadline

Applications must be received by Friday, March 26, 2010.

Please direct all questions to Dart Center West, the academic programming office of the Dart Center: 206-616-3223.