A new South Bay journalism fellowship will send student reporters into local newsrooms, aiming to expand coverage in San Jose while training the next generation of journalists.
The program — a collaboration between The Mercury News, San José Spotlight and San José State University — is set to begin in September and will embed students alongside working reporters and editors, covering housing, education, local government and other issues across the region.
Supported by a $155,800 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the fellowship will select at least four students each year to pitch stories, report in the field and produce work on deadline.
Together, fellows are expected to produce at least 100 stories annually focused on San Jose and the broader South Bay, according to the grant agreement — a level of output that would add coverage in a region where fewer reporters are covering more communities.
“We are honored and grateful to the Knight Foundation for this opportunity,” said Sarah Dussault, senior editor at The Mercury News. “Live training in newsrooms is so vital to the growth of young journalists. Their success directly impacts the future of our industry and will help ensure we continue to bring quality, local news to San Jose for years to come.”
The fellowship launches as local news organizations continue to operate with smaller staffs than a decade ago, leaving fewer reporters assigned to cover city halls, school districts and neighborhood issues across the South Bay.
Students will receive stipends and work directly alongside professional journalists, gaining experience pitching stories, conducting interviews and producing coverage on deadline.
“This fellowship gives students an in-depth experience working in a fast-paced newsroom,” said John Delacruz, director of San José State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications. “They’ll report on real issues that matter to the community — finding stories, working a beat and writing on deadline. That kind of experience is essential and gives them a clear edge as they enter the job market.
“Local news needs young reporters, and this creates a direct connection between San José State and the region’s newsrooms.”
San José State’s journalism program enrolls roughly 250 to 300 students, according to the university.
The Knight Foundation grant will fund a fellowship coordinator responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring students, as well as stipends and program costs.
“Investing in the next generation of reporters is essential to the future of local news,” said Marisa Kwiatkowski, director of journalism at the Knight Foundation.
The Knight Foundation was established by the former owners of Knight Ridder, the newspaper company that once owned The Mercury News.
The program is also intended to help retain early-career journalists in the Bay Area, where news organizations have struggled to recruit and keep local talent.
The fellowship is scheduled to run through 2028, with plans to expand to additional universities and newsroom partners over time.