The American Indian Journalism Institute, founded in 2001, is an academic, scholarship and internship program for college students run and underwritten by the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute.
American Indian students often do not consider journalism as a career option, in part because many of their schools lack student newspapers and journalism classes, the most common routes to journalism careers. Without Native Americans on staff, news organizations can produce stereotypical and erroneous coverage of Indian issues and Indian people.
AIJI provides a unique opportunity for Indian students to learn about journalism and consider it as a career, which will help improve newsroom diversity around the country.
For three weeks in June, Native American students learn the craft of journalism through one of several journalism courses taught at the Freedom Forum’s Al Neuharth Media Center, on the University of South Dakota’s Vermillion campus.
Accepted students are placed in an appropriate course based on their experience, interests and previous coursework. Students attend AIJI for free and receive other financial assistance, including room and board during the program and a scholarship/stipend upon completion of the program.
AIJI students also may be eligible for 2 hours of college credit.
After successful completion of the program, top AIJI graduates are hired for paid summer internships as reporters, copy editors, photographers or multimedia journalists with daily newspapers and with The Associated Press. Interns must be licensed drivers and provide their own vehicles.
For inquiries and applications, contact Janine Harris at jharris@freedomforum.org or 605/677-5424.
Download the application at http://freedomforumdiversity.org/american-indian-journalism-institute/