Grant Funded Education Reporter Fellowship (UNION)

USA TODAY Co., Inc.; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Grant-funded fellowship

Job summary

USA TODAY Co., Inc. seeks an enterprising journalist for a one-year grant-funded education reporting fellowship in Michigan.

The reporter will cover education across the state, spotlight challenges facing students in rural, urban, and suburban communities, and translate data into classroom relevance. Working with a partner reporter and editor, the team will leverage video, social media, articles, and in-person engagements to help parents, lawmakers, and community leaders understand education

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2-5 years of newsroom experience.
• Strong reporting, writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Experience creating digital-first content, including video and social media storytelling.
• Comfortable on camera explaining issues, conducting interviews and seeking reader input.
• Strong copy editing and self-editing skills.
• Comfortable using social media to enhance reporting and promote your work.
• Strong understanding of audience analytics, SEO and engagement strategies.
• Ability to work independently, build trust with stakeholders and manage multiple deadlines.
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law

Responsibilities

• Cover education across Michigan across rural, urban, and suburban communities.
• Spotlight challenges facing students and translate data into classroom context.
• Collaborate with another reporter and editor to use multiple mediums (video, social, articles, in-person engagements, visuals) to inform readers and policymakers.
• Monitor policy and funding shifts at the state level as governance evolves at the capitol.

Skills

Strong reporting

Editing

Storytelling

Video storytelling

Social media storytelling

Interviewing

On-camera presence

Self-editing

Audience analytics

SEO

Engagement strategies

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's or master's in communications or journalism

Job description

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. If you are a California resident, you acknowledge that by applying for a job with us, this California Job Applicant Privacy Notice will apply to our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com

The Detroit Free Press seeks an enterprising reporter to cover education across Michigan through a one-year grant-funded fellowship as part of a significant expansion of education reporting across metro Detroit and the state.

This journalist will spotlight the challenges of students across Michigan, including in rural, urban and suburban communities, focusing on the most vulnerable populations. This journalist will interpret data and connect it with what's happening in the classroom.

With another reporter and editor, this team will use every medium and platform — video, social, articles, in-person engagements and visuals — to help parents, lawmakers and community leaders understand the challenges in need of solutions at a time when Michigan children lag other states in reading, math, attendance and postsecondary education attainment.

They’ll help readers understand the state of education across Michigan, with an emphasis on the intersection of education and politics. This reporter would closely watch policy and funding shifts at the state level, as a governor and legislature comes into power at the state capitol.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2-5 years of newsroom experience.
• Strong reporting, writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Experience creating digital-first content, including video and social media storytelling.
• Comfortable on camera explaining issues, conducting interviews and seeking reader input.
• Strong copy editing and self-editing skills
• Comfortable using social media to enhance reporting and promote your work
• Strong understanding of audience analytics, SEO and engagement strategies
• Ability to work independently, build trust with stakeholders and manage multiple deadlines
• This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at [e-mail]. Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.