FAQs

What is the Pritzker Fellowships?
When do the Pritzker Fellowships take place?
What is the time commitment for a Pritzker Fellow?
Who is eligible to apply?
If I have a journalism degree but have never worked in the field, would I be eligible?
Will I still be considered if I don’t have a college degree?
I’ll be in school during the program.  Will I still be considered?
Will I be hired after the program ends?
Do I have to be an American citizen to take part in the program?
Will I get paid?
When can I apply?
How do I apply?
How does my nominator make their recommendation?
What information is required on the application?
What’s the best way to tell my story?
How do I submit the story portion of my application?
What questions will I be asked on the application?
What should I expect after I turn my application in?

What is the Pritzker Fellowships?
The Pritzker Fellowships is a nine month, high level mentorship and professional development program designed to cultivate a new, diverse generation of public media talent.

When do the Pritzker Fellowships take place?
Each year two Pritzker Fellows will be selected.  Work will start at the beginning of September and end in June of the following year.

What is the time commitment for a Pritzker Fellow?
Pritzker Fellows will be expected to work 40 hours per week from September through June.  Typically, Fellows will work standard business hours Monday through Friday; however, due to the nature of the job, occasional weekends and evenings may be required.

Who is eligible to apply?
Anyone with an interest in pursuing radio, web-based or other forms of journalism and meets the requirements below is eligible.

The program is open to a broad range of individuals, ages and backgrounds.  We especially encourage interested minority candidates to apply.  Candidates must be nominated by a not-for-profit community organization, demonstrate exceptional communication aptitude, not have earned a degree in journalism and not be enrolled in school during the program.

If I have a journalism degree but have never worked in the field, am I eligible?
Regrettably, no.  We know that there are a lot of very talented people out there who want to break into public media, but we’re looking for people who have not had formal journalistic training.  A few journalism classes are ok, but an actual journalism degree would make you ineligible for the program.

Will I still be considered if I don’t have a college degree?
Yes!  Having a college degree is not a criterion for applying.  We are looking for someone who has a spark.  Someone who possesses something special, but might not have had the opportunity to pursue their dreams. 

I’ll be in school during the program.  Will I still be considered?
Unfortunately, no.  Because the training will be demanding and rigorous, we expect the Pritzker Fellows to make the job their primary focus.  

Will I be hired after the program ends?
No.  We cannot offer employment to the Fellows at the end of the program.  But, if you’re really motivated and work hard, we promise that you will walk away with some amazing skills and will have been exposed to many unique opportunities and people.  The rest will be up to you.

Do I have to be an American citizen to take part in the program?
You don’t, but international applicants must obtain their own visas.

Will I get paid?
Pritzker Fellows will be paid $20,000 during the course of their Fellowship.  They will also receive full benefits.

When can I apply?
The 2012 application period is now open.  We will not accept any applications or changes to applications after the deadline of May 18, 2012.  The submission form will only work during that timeframe.

How do I apply?
You will only be able to apply through the website.  Dropped off or mailed applications will not be accepted.  Click here to apply for the Pritzker Fellowships.  Simply log on and create an account.  You will have the ability to save your work before submitting.  Once you submit your application you will not be able to go back and change anything.  Our best advice is to write out your answers prior to submitting them, just to make sure it’s exactly the way you want it.  Remember, this is your chance to impress us.  Give us every reason to think that you’re amazing!  And don’t forget that in order to have a complete application, the person nominating you will have to complete a separate form.

How does my nominator make their recommendation?
Please instruct your nominator(s) to go to the nominate page of this website.  Once there, they will be asked to fill out a recommendation form, along with some basic contact information.  Once they submit the form, they will be sent an email asking them to verify their identity.  They must click on the link in that email in order to complete the process.  Once they have submitted their nomination they will receive an email confirming their submission.

What information is required on the application?
You will be required to answer five essay questions, provide an example of your storytelling abilities and be nominated by someone from a non-profit organization.

What’s the best way to tell my story?
We’ve left that intentionally vague for a reason.  We want to see what you come up with.  Get creative with it.  You can use audio, video, text, photography or any other form of media which will showcase your storytelling abilities.  Just don’t make your story too long.  A good rule of thumb is that media files should be less than 15 minutes long and written stories should be no longer than 12 pages.

How do I submit the story portion of my application?
All mp3, Word, pdf and jpg files less than 15 MB can be uploaded directly to the application form.  For all other types of media files or for larger files, you will be instructed to upload them to a site like www.youtube.com and to provide a link where we can view them.  If providing a link, your content should be accessible through July.

What questions will I be asked on the application?
Aside from the usual stuff like contact information, education and past employment, you will be asked to provide expanded answers to questions similar to the following:

• Why should we select you to be a Pritzker Fellow? (2,000 character maximum)
• What are your career goals and how do you think the Pritzker Fellowships will help you achieve these goals? (2,000 character maximum)
• What does media mean to you and how does it influence your life?  (2,000 character maximum)
• What specific skills do you hope to learn or enhance during your time as a Pritzker Fellow? (2,000 character maximum)
• How have you been involved in your community, and why has your involvement been important to you? (2,000 character maximum)

What should I expect after I submit my application?
We will notify you by email once we receive your application.  Please refrain from calling us for status updates. Remember, the entire selection process will go through July, so don’t worry if you haven’t heard from us.  We promise that you will!