Chevrolet revs up for third year of Journalism Fellowship for HBCU students
Discover the Unexpected Fellows will receive $90,000 in scholarships and stipends
DETROIT — Chevrolet and the National Newspaper Publishers Association have chosen six students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the 2018 Discover the Unexpected Journalism Fellowship. With the help of NNPA editors and reporters, the Fellows will discover and share positive, inspirational and relevant stories from African American communities during their eight-week summer internship.
The 2018 DTU Journalism Fellows are Tyvan Banks of Norfolk State University, Diamond Durant of Morgan State University, Daja Henry of Howard University, Denver Lark of North Carolina A&T State University, Natrawn Maxwell of Claflin University and Ila Wilborn of Florida A&M University.
Chevrolet will award each DTU Fellow a $10,000 scholarship and a $5,000 stipend. The students will form two teams of three people, and each team will have access to a new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox during their reporting assignments.
To date, Chevrolet has awarded more than $300,000 in DTU scholarships and stipends. For its first two years the program included only a select number of schools, but the 2018 online submission process was open to students at all HBCUs majoring in journalism, communications, mass media or visual arts.
“In 2016 Chevrolet launched the DTU fellowship at Howard University and last year added Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College,” said Paul Edwards, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “This year we want to give every HBCU student with a strong voice the opportunity to report the inspiring stories from around the U.S. as they Find New Roads behind the wheel of the 2018 Equinox.”
“The NNPA is looking forward to continuing our support of young storytellers to document positive stories in our communities,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. “Young journalists have the power to bring about positive change in our communities and this country through their words, so it is vital to include their voices in the conversation.”
DTU Fellows will work with The Washington Informer in Washington, D.C.; The Atlanta Voice in Atlanta, Georgia; The New Journal & Guide in Norfolk, Virginia; and New York Amsterdam News in New York City, New York.
The Fellows’ journey begins in Detroit, where they’ll participate in two days of journalism training with Chevrolet and NNPA leadership at General Motors’ Global Headquarters before they hit the road to begin their reporting assignments.
Legendary lyricist and hip-hop pioneer MC Lyte, the program’s national spokesperson since its inception, will meet with the Fellows during the summer to share her wisdom about storytelling and advice on creating a unique voice. Dana Blair, an on-air correspondent, branding expert and entertainment producer, joins the team and will serve as mentor for the Fellows.
