The McCormick Tribune Fellowship

McCormick Tribune Fellowship Application

The McCormick Tribune Foundation and the Media Management Center invite applications for the 2009 McCormick Tribune Fellowship. If you are an innovative minority leader in the industry and would like to join the McCormick Tribune Fellow's Brain Trust, and attend the prestigious executive development program for print or broadcast executives run by the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, please submit your application and required information by the application deadline of June 2, 2008.

About the Fellowship

The fellowship program seeks to increase both the number and impact of minority executives in the news media. It also helps fellows individually in their careers while providing other news media leaders the benefit of the wisdom and insight the fellows have to offer. In the process, the program adds to the critical mass of high-performing senior managers and executives of color prepared to bring the most innovative strategies to media's most pressing challenges.

The McCormick Tribune Fellowship program is a partnership of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, the Media Management Center and NAMME.

Who is Eligible?

McCormick Tribune Fellowships are for executives of newspapers, broadcast stations and news companies. Editorial candidates must have approximately 10 years or more experience in the news business and should be at the level of assistant managing editor or higher at newspapers or newspaper companies, or the equivalent at television stations, groups or companies. Applicants from business departments should have at least 10 years of professional experience and have reached the level of assistant director. Fellows must be leaders within their organizations and be seen by their organizations as key players in the future. The fellowships are open to African American, American Indian, Asian American and Latino executives.

The Fellowship Year

Eight fellows, four from the newspaper industry and four from the television industry, are selected each fall for a fellowship year that begins in January.

Expectations

Current fellows must participate in all events during the fellowship year. They may also be asked to discuss the ongoing work of the Fellowship at industry events. Additionally, while not required, previous fellows are strongly urged to participate in the annual Fall Forums as well as contribute to the Fellows braintrust of expertise after their fellowship year.

Executive Development Programs

Fellows attend the premier leadership programs for media executives. Newspaper executives attend the three-week Advanced Executive Program and broad-cast executives attend the seven-day Management Development Seminar for Television Executives, both conducted at the Media Management Center (MMC) at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, which is located about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. MMC is a joint venture of the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. The television seminar is a joint project of MMC and the National Association of Broadcasters.

• Advanced Executive Program
  The Advanced Executive Program (AEP) is a three-week seminar for senior executives in the newspaper industry. The program concentrates on five subjects: strategy, journalism, marketing, critical decision-making and leadership.
• Management Development Seminar
  The Management Development Seminar for Television Executives is a seven-day program for senior executives from television stations, groups and networks. It promotes management literacy and gives a broader perspective on the television business by bringing cutting-edge ideas from other sectors and media. Courses incorporate lectures, discussions, simulations, case studies, exercises and special interactive sessions with industry leaders.

Fellows Braintrust

All the McCormick Tribune Fellows - from the current class and from all previous classes - are part of a braintrust of expertise which the program regularly taps to help the news industry better achieve diversity success.

The most recent reports produced by the McCormick Fellows are:
Diversity and the Next Generation (2006)
Looking Inward, Going Forward (2005)
Leading The Way: Making Diversity Real (2004)
Executives Of Color: What It Takes To Succeed (2003)
Do We Check It At The Door? (2002)

Fall Forum

Each October, all current and former McCormick Tribune Fellows gather for an annual conference on Northwestern University's campus. At the Fall Forum, fellows discuss pressing issues in the industry and make recommendations to the industry on diversity. The Fall Forum also includes developmental sessions and speakers to further enhance participants’ leadership skills.

Application Due Date

Candidates should submit an application and required attachments. Emailed or faxed applications must be received by 5 p.m. on June 2, 2008. Mailed applications must be postmarked by June 2, 2008. For more information, contact: