DEADLINE: Wake Forest Mellon Environmental Justice Journalism Fellowships

Applications are now open for Wake Forest University Environmental Journalism Fellowship and Epistemic Justice Summer Institute, taking place June 1-4, 2026.

The Wake Forest University Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative is a multi-pronged Mellon Foundation-funded research, teaching, and community engagement project.  The 2026 Summer Institute will welcome 4-6 early to mid-career journalists to the fourth class of EEJI fellows with the goal of improving coverage of the many environmental justice issues, while aiding in diversifying the ranks of environmental journalism. 

Applicants must be published journalists with at least one year of reporting and feature writing experience for newspapers, magazines, or digital media outlets. Each fellow will receive a $3000 reporting stipend, plus expenses for travel and accommodations to attend the 2026 Summer Institute at INSTEP-WFU London, England. For the 2026 session, the Institute is very interested in proposals that focus on the intersection of environmental and climate justice and health, particularly in the southeast and mid-Atlantic. 

Direct questions and inquiries to Melba Newsome, Summer Institute Director, newsomem@wfu.edu.

Application Deadline: Feb 15, 2026.