Thank you for your interest in the Media Accelerator Fellowship. Applications for the 2026-27 Media Accelerator Fellowship are now closed.
The Media Accelerator Fellowship is a nine-month program designed for early-career journalists to step back from the daily news grind and strategically advance their careers. The fellowship’s curriculum helps young journalists identify and develop their beats, enhance their reporting and writing skills, and incorporate the principles of liberty into their work. Esteemed journalists and policy experts will serve as faculty, sharing their expertise to help Fellows excel in their career.
Program Structure
The Media Accelerator Fellowship combines networking, professional development and academic discussions. The 2026-27 curriculum will include:
- Monthly roundtables in Washington, D.C., with leading journalists and policy experts to help Fellows understand important areas of reporting they can specialize in.
- A fall weekend retreat in Annapolis, Maryland, focused on professional development, including sessions on the business of media, polling and statistics, source development, and media training.
- A spring weekend retreat in Richmond, Virginia, featuring intellectual and practical discussions of “Liberty and Responsibility in the Media.”
Media Accelerator Faculty speakers have included the Wall Street Journal’s Gerry Baker, the Washington Post’s Megan McArdle, Reason’s Peter Suderman, Novak ’10, The Austin Sound’s Kevin Daley, Novak ’21, The Dispatch’s John McCormack, Novak ’11, and The Washington Post’s Adam O’Neil.
Fellowship Qualifications
“In an era where public trust in media is under strain and the line between commentary and reporting continues to blur, this fellowship stands out as a program committed to grounding young journalists in the principles of fairness, accuracy and intellectual rigor.” -Blake Mauro, 2024-25 Media Accelerator Fellow
All applicants must:
- Live in the Washington, D.C., area and are working journalists, writers, or editors.
- Commit to attending all fellowship events – including the monthly evening sessions (Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m.) and the weekend fall and spring retreats.
- The Fellowship is designed for young professionals with up to seven years of work experience.
2026-27 Schedule
Welcome Dinner
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
6-8:30 p.m.
Fall Retreat
November 13-15, 2026
Annapolis, Maryland
Spring Retreat
April 9-11, 2027
Richmond, Virginia
Monthly Speaker Events
October 7, 2026
December 2, 2026
January 6, 2027
February 17, 2027
March 17, 2027
Closing Dinner
May 5, 2027