The new component of the Fulbright Program will offer up to five awards to U.S. citizens for nine months of overseas travel and multi-media storytelling on globally significant social or environmental topics. Fellows will focus their digital stories on one of the program’s eight themes: biodiversity, cities, cultures, disasters, energy, food, oceans, and water. The Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship will provide a unique platform for U.S. Fulbrighters to undertake an in-depth exploration of a globally relevant issue, comparing and contrasting how that issue is experienced across borders. Utilizing a variety of digital storytelling tools and media, including blogs, photography, video, and social media, Fellows will share their stories by providing content to a National Geographic blog and other platforms with the support of National Geographic’s editorial team.
With complementary missions, Fulbright and National Geographic are distinctively suited to deliver this Fellowship opportunity. This Fellowship will allow Fulbrighters to tell stories from around the world and advance U.S. public diplomacy goals while bringing new voices to National Geographic and expanding its in-depth coverage of pressing transnational issues.
Eligibility: “U.S. citizens of all ages and from all backgrounds are eligible to apply. Applicants may come from a broad range of fields. Candidates must have completed at least an undergraduate degree by the commencement of the program. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated talent for storytelling (including but not limited to publications in print, online or multimedia platforms) and an academic or professional background relevant to their proposed project.”
How to apply: The Digital Storytelling Fellowship will use the Embark online application. Access to the application and more details are available at: us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-nat-geo-fellowship
UIC students can get assistance with their applications from the Office of Special Scholarship Programs. Contact the staff at ssp@uic.edu
