Dinah Eng Leadership Fellowship Grant

This grant awards funds to current AAJA members in pursuit of professional development. Applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted into a professional development program. 

Candidates must commit to submitting a post for the AAJA website at the end of their training experience that highlights how the fellowship advanced them along their career path.

Eligibility

• Must have an active AAJA membership
• Must demonstrate leadership potential, or currently hold a management position
• Must have a serious interest in continuing pursuing journalism as a career

Application Requirements

• Resume
• One letter of recommendation
• A letter verifying your acceptance into a professional development program
• A brief statement describing any financial need
• In 500 words or less, state your career goals and why AAJA's mission is important to you.

DEADLINE: The application is open throughout the year, and awarded to multiple recipients up to twice a year. 

Questions? Email support@aaja.org.

High school students with a strong interest in all forms of journalism are encouraged to apply. All costs to attend this program, including airfare, campus housing and meals, are covered by AAJA.

DEADLINE: Sunday, January 10, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Application Materials:

• Letter of Recommendation
• Introduction Video (60-90 secs target, 2 mins maximum)
• Short answer questions (100 words or less):
• A) Please discuss a specific challenge you've faced and how you've grown from the experience.
• B) Where do you get your news from? Please identify through which platform(s) and what are some recent pieces/stories that caught your attention?
• C) In the time before you graduate from high school, how would you like to grow and develop as a person? (75 words or less)
• Student Essays:
• A) Why do you want to attend JCamp this summer? (150 words or less)
• B) If you were able to spend a month reporting on a single issue within your community/local area, what would it be and why? Who would you speak with and how do you envision your final product? (250 words or less)
• C) Write about a time you strongly disagreed with someone. (150 words or less)
• D) Share anything else about yourself that you'd like us to consider with your application. (150 words or less)
• Various other short answer questions on interests, involvement and extracurriculars
• Work Samples (optional, three maximum)

About JCamp:       AAJA’s JCamp is a national multicultural journalism program for high school students. The six-day training camp brings together culturally diverse students from across the nation to learn from veteran journalists and leading media executives. JCamp participants will receive hands-on training and produce multiplatform news packages for the program’s news site, JCamp Live. Since 2001, over 850 high school students have graduated from JCamp. Every year, AAJA receives hundreds of applications from all regions of the country. To learn more about JCamp, visit our website.

DEADLINE: Sunday, January 10, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

For any questions related to the application or camp, please email support@aaja.org.

AAJA’s Premier Student Fellowship for Emerging Journalists

VOICES is a highly selective fellowship designed to accelerate the growth of aspiring journalists through hands-on training, mentorship, and community. Fellows gain the professional skills, editorial insight, and confidence needed to thrive in today’s fast-changing media landscape.

The program’s mission is to help a diverse group of student journalists understand how audiences engage with their work, how communities perceive journalism, and how their reporting can make meaningful impact. By pairing fellows with professional editors and mentors, VOICES offers a rigorous, real-world experience that challenges participants to grow as storytellers, collaborators, and leaders.

Eligibility     VOICES is open to college students interested in pursuing journalism. We’re looking for students who are committed to developing their craft, learning from industry professionals, and pushing their skills to the next level. Reporters, editors, social media strategists, designers, data journalists, podcasters, broadcasters, and multimedia storytellers are all encouraged to apply.

Program Overview     The fellowship includes training sessions, guided project work, and personalized mentorship that culminate in presentations at the AAJA National Convention in San Francisco, California (July 14-18, 2027). Fellows will:

• Participate in advanced journalism workshops and skill-building sessions led by industry leaders.
• Receive hands-on guidance from experienced editors and mentors.
• Collaborate with peers across disciplines to produce impactful, audience-focused work.
• Present their work and represent VOICES at the AAJA National Convention.
• Build lasting professional networks with recruiters and journalists from major media outlets.  

Program Outcomes     VOICES alumni have gone on to internships and careers at The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Frontline, and other top media organizations. Many are now Pulitzer Prize winners, documentary filmmakers, broadcast anchors, and newsroom leaders.

More than a fellowship, VOICES is a professional community that stays with you for life — a network of journalists united by purpose, curiosity, and the pursuit of excellence.

• Explore past VOICES projects at voices.aaja.org
• Application Deadline: December 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check here for information on eligibility, the program and other general questions.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: December 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PT