The Higher Education Media Fellowship

The Higher Education Media Fellowship connects and supports journalists who are committed to telling the stories that shape our understanding of education today.

Administered by C&S and funded by the ECMC Foundation, the Fellowship supports journalists who focus on postsecondary career and technical education issues–particularly underreported topics like disability, rural workforce shortages, alternative education pathways and more.

Since 2002, the journalism industry has lost 75% of its workforce and experienced a significant reduction in newsroom resources. To address this gap, the HEM Fellowship was launched in 2020 to equip full-time and independent journalists with the resources needed to pursue ambitious, investigative projects—often ones that are critical to the public but struggle to get the necessary resources, support, or attention to reach completion.

The Fellowship offers early- to mid-career reporters funding, personalized mentorship and targeted training from leading organizations such as Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Solutions Journalism Network. Fellows also participate in an exclusive, two-day convening focused on creative storytelling and exploring emerging trends in postsecondary career and technical education. Beyond professional development, Fellows become part of a vibrant community of journalists, many of whom have gone on to receive prestigious local and national awards.

Since its launch, C&S has supported more than 90 journalists across the country. More than 140 reporting projects have been published, appearing in top outlets like Politico, The Hechinger Report, Chalkbeat, The Washington Post, Telemundo, NPR, and Marketplace.These impactful stories have not only informed the public but have also shaped critical conversations about the future of education.