TFAS is pleased to introduce Matthew Taylor King as the 2019 recipient of the Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism.
King is a 2018 magna cum laude graduate of Duke University and a student at Sciences Po in Paris where he is pursuing his master’s degree in international security. He is a contributing writer for The American Interest and is spending his summer working as an intern with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of African Nations. As a Rago Fellow, King will receive a nine-month internship with the Opinion section of The Wall Street Journal.
The fellowship is named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer Joseph Rago, who was a rising star at The Wall Street Journal and a key member of its editorial page team before passing away at the age of 34 in 2017. TFAS was chosen by the Rago Family, with the endorsement of the Journal, to establish the Fellowship last year as a permanent remembrance of Joe’s contributions to journalism. This year’s Rago Fellow, Matthew King, will work to continue Joe’s legacy.
“Among a field of exceptionally strong candidates, Matthew impressed us with his knowledge, integrity, dedication, and an ability to write clear, persuasive prose,” said Joe’s parents Paul and Nancy Rago. “He exemplifies the blend of talent and character we seek to honor the memory of our son.”
King follows in the footsteps of Joe and inaugural Rago Fellow Elliot Kaufman who completed the program in May.
“The Joseph Rago Fellowship made me a full member of the team at the best paper and opinion section in the world, The Wall Street Journal editorial page,” said Kaufman. “We get to work on the biggest issues of the day – every day … I don’t think there’s a better job for a young journalist, writer or editor than the Rago Fellowship.”
The 2019 Rago Fellowship will be presented during the TFAS Journalism Awards Dinner at the Metropolitan Club in New York, N.Y., on Sept. 12, 2019. Paul Gigot, editorial page editor and vice president of the Journal, will help honor the memory of his late colleague by providing remarks on Joe’s accomplishments and lasting impact.
The dinner will also honor Roger Kimball with the Thomas L. Phillips Career Achievement Award, and announce the 2019 Robert Novak Journalism Fellows.
To learn more and purchase tickets for the dinner, visit TFAS.org/JAwards19. All proceeds support the Joseph Rago and Robert Novak Fellowship Programs.