Apply for the Sakka Family Religion and International Journalism Fellowship
The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Georgetown Journalism Program welcome proposals from journalists who wish to explore the impact of religion on political discourse and international affairs as Sakka Family Religion and International Journalism Fellows at Georgetown University. Positions are available for short-term, semester-long, or year-long terms during the 2025-2026 academic year and compensation is scaled to the scope of proposed activities.
Journalists with significant experience covering politics or international relations who have demonstrated a special insight into the role of religion in public life and world events are encouraged to apply.
Proposal Components
Prospective Sakka Family Fellows should provide a proposal that includes three components:
- areas of potential student engagement in and insight into the work of journalists documenting the impact of religion on politics and international affairs;
- the focus of a public event or series of events; and
- a creative project to be undertaken or continued while a fellow.
The student engagement component may involve teaching a class or seminar, or speaking as part of modules in existing classes; leading colloquia, discussion groups, or an educational trip; and/or involving students in journalism related to the fellowship topic. In all cases the fellow should describe how they may provide guidance and mentorship and generally act as a resource to students and the university, as well as how and when they propose to be present on Georgetown’s Hilltop Campus during their fellowship. Public events could include one or more lectures, panel conversations, a conference, or other sessions highlighting the work of the fellow. The creative project component could include work on a book, series of articles or long-form essays, or production of multimedia output such as a documentary, video, or podcast.
Stipend
Fellows will receive a stipend scaled to the length of their tenure. Proposed fellowship lengths could range from a few weeks to a whole academic year. Proposed stipends could range from $3,000 for a short term with a maximum of $75,000 annually; access to campus resources, including office space, library and production technology, and research assistants; and the ability to audit classes, as space permits and with instructor permission, within the university. The fellowship is open to international candidates, and visa sponsorship is possible.
Application Process
Applicants should submit:
- a résumé;
- contact information for three references;
- a cover letter that describes their overall vision, area of focus, and preferred duration for a fellowship stint, from a few days or weeks to an entire semester or academic year; and
- a proposal for a seminar course, discussion group, lecture or other event, research or book project, student trip, or any other activity/activities they propose to lead or work on during their time at Georgetown, whether independently or in connection with other university departments, programs, and centers at the university.
The application process for the 2025-2026 academic year will open on February 10, 2025. Application materials should be submitted via this Google form no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on March 20, 2025. Any questions about the fellowship or application process may be submitted to Rebecca Sinderbrand (rebecca.sinderbrand@georgetown.edu) and Michael Kessler (mjk62@georgetown.edu).
The Sakka Family Religion and International Journalism Fellowship is made possible through a generous gift from Kareem Sakka (MBA’91, P’20, P’24) and Dania Sakka (P’20, P’24). The fellowship was created to help students gain a greater understanding of the role of religion in public life and world events by connecting the Georgetown community with journalists who have significant experience reporting on that dynamic.