Deadline: 10 August 2010
Geographical coverage: USA
Reading Fee: n/a
Accepts (genre): articles, journalistic works
Prize/Payment: scholarship
Contact: pkleyman@newamericamedia.org or tkluss@geron.org
Background
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and New America Media (NAM) are welcoming applications — from journalists who cover aging issues and/or who work for ethnic media outlets — for a new fellowship program underwritten by the MetLife Foundation.
By 2030, the number Americans age 65 and over will double to 70 million, with a growing percentage of them coming from ethnic minority populations. The health and social consequences permeate every aspect of life in this country. For instance, the first members of the huge baby boomer generation will get their Medicare cards starting January 1, 2011. While America’s mainstream media have largely ignored this burgeoning story, most communities remain under-informed about the wide-ranging challenges of the longevity revolution.
Dates and Location
Selected Fellows will attend GSA’s 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting, which is taking place in New Orleans, LA, from November 19 to 23. This event regularly welcomes over 3,000 professionals in the field of aging and the schedule includes hundreds of symposia, papers, and posters — all featuring new research presented for the first time.
Requirements
Each Fellow will be expected to participate in a special day-long pre-conference session and at least two days of general meeting sessions. Fellows will also commit to completing one short-term article about any aspect of the meeting and one longer-term in-depth project of their own design. The latter must be outlined in a one- to two-page proposal.
All articles must be published, broadcast, or posted through distributed or circulated news media entities rather than personal blogs.
Short-term stories: By December 15, 2010, fellows must have published (or electronically disseminated) or have scheduled for publication (not later than December 31, 2010) an article of not less than 500 words stemming directly from the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting. Articles can be a news report, feature, or commentary (blog), such as coverage of a study or discussion presented at the meeting about any aspect of aging. A proposal for the short-term story is not required for the fellowship application. The subject matter also need not be related to that of the long-term project.
The GSA meeting includes hundreds of symposia, papers, and posters in dozens of topic areas. The interactive meeting planner contains the full program schedule.
Long-term projects: Each Fellow will submit a proposal outlining a major article or series that she or he intends to research and write, as well as an agreement by his or her publisher or producer to accept the proposal as an editorial assignment for publication or broadcast. By March 1, 2011, Fellows will research and write a story or series of their design, documenting and explaining the pressing issues elders in their respective community are facing. All stories must be edited and approved before publication. Projects must be completed by June 1, 2011. The long-term story or series need not be based on any session at the Annual Scientific Meeting, although reporters are invited interview expert presenters or utilize articles published in GSA’s peer-reviewed journals.
Fellowship applicants are invited to make proposals on a wide range of subjects, such as caregiving challenges; dementia and its impact; intergenerational activities; healthy aging (including wellness and physical activity); safety education (e.g., falls and fall prevention); health disparities; elder abuse prevention; depression and social isolation; hunger; medication challenges; lifelong learning; art and creativity for older adults; aging in place; age-friendly communities; older-worker issues (e.g., career retraining and encore careers); and civic engagement (mentoring, volunteering, or otherwise “giving back” to society). Stories in any medium will be developed with the assistance of project editor Paul Kleyman, who can consult with writers and producers on sources and background.
Stipend and Travel
Each Fellow will receive a stipend of $1,500, with half to be paid on arrival at the meeting and the rest upon completion of the project. GSA will arrange and pay for all flights and hotel bookings (up to three nights) in New Orleans, and qualifying local travel expenses (e.g., cab, train, or bus fares) will be reimbursed. Fellows are free to attend the meeting for additional days, although further lodging/travel costs will be the responsibility of the individual or his or her news organization.
Selection Process
The fellowship selection panel will include experts in gerontology and editorial professionals from NAM and GSA. Stories (print or electronic) or multimedia packages will first be published by each Fellow’s news organization and soon thereafter by NAM, as well as posted on the GSA website.
Additional Information
For further details about fellowship requirements and potential stories, contact NAM Ethnic Elders Editor Paul Kleyman at pkleyman@newamericamedia.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (415) 503-4170, ext. 133. For further details about how to submit an application, contact GSA Communications Manager Todd Kluss at tkluss@geron.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (202) 587-2839.
Application Process
Applications will consist of five components:
1. A cover letter or e-mail containing:
* Applicant Name
* Mailing Address
* Office Phone
* Mobile Phone
* E-mail
* Employer (Freelancers must specify their length of affiliation with the outlet that will publish or broadcast the story.)
* Employer Address
* Employer Phone
2. A resume.
3. A one- to two-page proposal describing the long-term story topic, how the subject will be researched and covered, the number of expected articles and their approximate length, relevance to the audience, and tentative publication date.
4. A letter or e-mail from the publisher or producer agreeing to accept the proposal as an editorial assignment for publication or broadcast.
5. Three samples of published or broadcast journalistic work.
Send all materials to tkluss@geron.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Todd Kluss, The Gerontological Society of America, 1220 L Street NW, Suite 901, Washington, DC 20005. (Applications made by e-mail should use the subject line "MetLIfe Fellowship Application" and include items 2 through 5 as attachments or hyperlinks in a single message.)
Deadline
The application deadline has been extended to Tuesday, August 10, 2010.
More information here.
Geographical coverage: USA
Reading Fee: n/a
Accepts (genre): articles, journalistic works
Prize/Payment: scholarship
Contact: pkleyman@newamericamedia.org or tkluss@geron.org
Background
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and New America Media (NAM) are welcoming applications — from journalists who cover aging issues and/or who work for ethnic media outlets — for a new fellowship program underwritten by the MetLife Foundation.
By 2030, the number Americans age 65 and over will double to 70 million, with a growing percentage of them coming from ethnic minority populations. The health and social consequences permeate every aspect of life in this country. For instance, the first members of the huge baby boomer generation will get their Medicare cards starting January 1, 2011. While America’s mainstream media have largely ignored this burgeoning story, most communities remain under-informed about the wide-ranging challenges of the longevity revolution.
Dates and Location
Selected Fellows will attend GSA’s 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting, which is taking place in New Orleans, LA, from November 19 to 23. This event regularly welcomes over 3,000 professionals in the field of aging and the schedule includes hundreds of symposia, papers, and posters — all featuring new research presented for the first time.
Requirements
Each Fellow will be expected to participate in a special day-long pre-conference session and at least two days of general meeting sessions. Fellows will also commit to completing one short-term article about any aspect of the meeting and one longer-term in-depth project of their own design. The latter must be outlined in a one- to two-page proposal.
All articles must be published, broadcast, or posted through distributed or circulated news media entities rather than personal blogs.
Short-term stories: By December 15, 2010, fellows must have published (or electronically disseminated) or have scheduled for publication (not later than December 31, 2010) an article of not less than 500 words stemming directly from the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting. Articles can be a news report, feature, or commentary (blog), such as coverage of a study or discussion presented at the meeting about any aspect of aging. A proposal for the short-term story is not required for the fellowship application. The subject matter also need not be related to that of the long-term project.
The GSA meeting includes hundreds of symposia, papers, and posters in dozens of topic areas. The interactive meeting planner contains the full program schedule.
Long-term projects: Each Fellow will submit a proposal outlining a major article or series that she or he intends to research and write, as well as an agreement by his or her publisher or producer to accept the proposal as an editorial assignment for publication or broadcast. By March 1, 2011, Fellows will research and write a story or series of their design, documenting and explaining the pressing issues elders in their respective community are facing. All stories must be edited and approved before publication. Projects must be completed by June 1, 2011. The long-term story or series need not be based on any session at the Annual Scientific Meeting, although reporters are invited interview expert presenters or utilize articles published in GSA’s peer-reviewed journals.
Fellowship applicants are invited to make proposals on a wide range of subjects, such as caregiving challenges; dementia and its impact; intergenerational activities; healthy aging (including wellness and physical activity); safety education (e.g., falls and fall prevention); health disparities; elder abuse prevention; depression and social isolation; hunger; medication challenges; lifelong learning; art and creativity for older adults; aging in place; age-friendly communities; older-worker issues (e.g., career retraining and encore careers); and civic engagement (mentoring, volunteering, or otherwise “giving back” to society). Stories in any medium will be developed with the assistance of project editor Paul Kleyman, who can consult with writers and producers on sources and background.
Stipend and Travel
Each Fellow will receive a stipend of $1,500, with half to be paid on arrival at the meeting and the rest upon completion of the project. GSA will arrange and pay for all flights and hotel bookings (up to three nights) in New Orleans, and qualifying local travel expenses (e.g., cab, train, or bus fares) will be reimbursed. Fellows are free to attend the meeting for additional days, although further lodging/travel costs will be the responsibility of the individual or his or her news organization.
Selection Process
The fellowship selection panel will include experts in gerontology and editorial professionals from NAM and GSA. Stories (print or electronic) or multimedia packages will first be published by each Fellow’s news organization and soon thereafter by NAM, as well as posted on the GSA website.
Additional Information
For further details about fellowship requirements and potential stories, contact NAM Ethnic Elders Editor Paul Kleyman at pkleyman@newamericamedia.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (415) 503-4170, ext. 133. For further details about how to submit an application, contact GSA Communications Manager Todd Kluss at tkluss@geron.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (202) 587-2839.
Application Process
Applications will consist of five components:
1. A cover letter or e-mail containing:
* Applicant Name
* Mailing Address
* Office Phone
* Mobile Phone
* Employer (Freelancers must specify their length of affiliation with the outlet that will publish or broadcast the story.)
* Employer Address
* Employer Phone
2. A resume.
3. A one- to two-page proposal describing the long-term story topic, how the subject will be researched and covered, the number of expected articles and their approximate length, relevance to the audience, and tentative publication date.
4. A letter or e-mail from the publisher or producer agreeing to accept the proposal as an editorial assignment for publication or broadcast.
5. Three samples of published or broadcast journalistic work.
Send all materials to tkluss@geron.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Todd Kluss, The Gerontological Society of America, 1220 L Street NW, Suite 901, Washington, DC 20005. (Applications made by e-mail should use the subject line "MetLIfe Fellowship Application" and include items 2 through 5 as attachments or hyperlinks in a single message.)
Deadline
The application deadline has been extended to Tuesday, August 10, 2010.
More information here.
