The Ring Foundation has pledged $1.4 million to fund an endowed fellowship for graduate students pursuing investigative journalism, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism announced Wednesday.
Launching in the 2017-18 academic year, the Selden Ring Investigative Journalism Fellowship will fund tuition for a student enrolled in the 9 1/2- month Journalism M.S. or the M.A. in Specialized Journalism programs.
“There has never been a more important time to become an investigative journalist,” said Willow Bay, director of Annenberg’s School of Journalism. “Now more than ever, we need intellectually rigorous, highly ethical, technically skilled journalists who will hold those in power accountable and tell stories that matter.”
Bay added: “As we continue to build a pipeline of ambitious, talented journalists with diverse backgrounds and experiences, to lead newsrooms of the future, this generous gift will open doors to journalists with extraordinary potential to strengthen investigative reporting, regardless of financial circumstance.”
Since 1989, the Ring Foundation has partnered with USC Annenberg as the home of the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Journalism. The $35,000 annual award, established with the support of Southern California businessman and philanthropist Selden Ring, “underscores the importance of investigative journalism as a cornerstone of democratic society — and the value of accountability for governments, non-government organizations and private corporations,” according to the school.
“The Ring Foundation is pleased to further its support for the importance of investigative journalism and serving a vital and fundamental commitment to our values in this country and the world at large,” said Cindy Miscikowski, who chairs the Ring Foundation.
