Senior and mid-career journalists who wish to deepen their knowledge of emotional trauma and psychological injury, and improve reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy can now apply for Ochberg Fellowship in 2022. This year’s fellowship will be held July 22-28 at Columbia University in New York City.

Fellows will attend an intensive weeklong program of seminars held at Columbia University in New York City. Program activities include briefings by prominent interdisciplinary experts in the trauma and mental health fields; conversations with journalist colleagues on issues of ethics, craft, and practice, and a variety of other opportunities for intellectual engagement and peer learning.

Eligibility for Ochberg Fellowship

• The Ochberg Fellowships are open to outstanding journalists from any part of the world (with at least five years of professional journalism experience) working across all media.
• Both staff journalists and freelancers are welcome to apply.
• Applicants’ work must demonstrate journalistic excellence and a strong track record of covering trauma and its impact on individuals, families, or communities.
• The Fellowship is open to print, broadcast, and digital reporters, photographers, editors, and producers with at least five years of professional journalism experience.
• All fellowship seminars will be in English. Hence, fellows must be fluent in spoken English to participate in the program.

Approximately half of the Fellows will be based in North America, with the balance drawn from Central and South America, Europe, the Asia Pacific region, Africa, and the Middle East.

Application Deadline and Details of Ochberg Fellowship

The application deadline is February 22, 2022, at 11:59 pm EST. Apply using this form.

The Fellowship program will be from July 22 to 28, 2022, at Columbia University in New York City. If public health conditions require us to cancel the program, all fellows selected for 2022 will be deferred to 2023.

Selection Criteria for Ochberg Fellowship

A judging committee comprised of Dart Center staff, Fellowship faculty, and past Fellows will review the applications. Selection is not based on any single factor. Judges’ consider a variety of factors, with an emphasis on whether applicants:

• Demonstrate consistent as well as thoughtful journalistic engagement with issues of violence, conflict, tragedy, and their aftermath;
• Also, have demonstrated journalistic excellence and leadership;
• Will likely benefit personally as well as professionally from the Fellowship experience and contribute meaningfully to the program.

Other considerations may include geographic and other diversity and overall group composition.

The judging committee will review applications and select 12 fellows for 2022. Also, selected fellows will be notified by email.