The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) engages journalism professionals, organizations, scholars and communities in programs, tools, resources and workshops aimed at strengthening community-centered journalism through practical innovation.
The Reynolds Journalism Institute Innovation Team is accepting pitches for collaborators in building programs, tools and resources for journalism.
Have an idea that tackles a current need, gap or challenge in journalism? Do you believe in being completely transparent, whether you succeed or fail? Want to share, collaborate and be a part of building something together?
We want to work with you! Not sure if your idea is a good fit? Set up a meeting with Sriya.
As collaborators we share the work & the cost of the project, these are collaborations - not gifts or grants.
Newsrooms & orgs who are interested in hosting a RJI Student Innovation Fellow for summer 2026 should apply below.
Fellowship Guidelines:
- RJI pays the student fellows directly a stipend for their summer work but you are allowed (and encouraged!) to pay them an hourly wage in addition to their stipend if you are able to do so.
- The student fellow must work on 2-3 innovative projects/initiatives over the course of the summer which will be transparently shared with the journalism industry through articles they write for RJI. Students will not be doing traditional journalism reporting (writing articles, copy editing, covering daily stories etc)
- The RJI articles on their innovative projects will be published through our Innovation in Focus series on rjionline.org and in the IIF newsletter.
- This application should be filled out by the mentor who is willing to work closely with the student supervising their work and taking part in our fellowship program by attending the required meetings, joining our shared slack space and communicating with RJI on their progress.
How do I apply?
Apply below.
Students: Applications close November 7, 2025. Students and will be notified by email about fellowship interviews by November 14, 2025.
What is a 2026 RJI Student Innovation Fellowship?
A Mizzou journalism student placed with a news organization to work 30-40 hours per week in summer 2026. These fellowships are sponsored by RJI’s Palmer Innovation Endowment fund and the stipends are paid directly to the students.
These Fellowships are focused on projects that create, extend or build upon innovative work in each newsroom and transparently share that work with the industry by publishing articles through the Innovation in Focus series to help journalists learn from and emulate the innovative work.
Projects that are similar to past projects undertaken by Student Fellows and/or not very innovative will be less likely to be picked for a student match. We are looking for newsrooms who want to undertake projects that will be useful to other newsrooms in the journalism industry to learn from.
What do the student fellows receive?
Each student fellow receives a minimum stipend of $8000 and will be expected to work for 30–40 hours a week for 12 weeks, starting mid-May and ending mid-August. Organizations are allowed (and encouraged!) to supplement this stipend with hourly pay.
Payments from RJI are made in two parts directly to the student. Half the stipend is paid at the beginning of the fellowship (within 30 days after the fellowship start) and the second half is paid after all the student’s RJI deliverables are met.
How are org/newsrooms chosen?
These fellowships are designed for each student to work with a newsroom or journalism organization on innovative projects of mutual interest. Partner organizations are chosen based on their application answers, proposed projects and the availability of a student fellow whose interests match the skillsets needed for those projects.
How are students chosen?
All current and soon to be recently graduated Missouri School of Journalism students are eligible and encouraged to apply. Students are chosen based on the application, interview and the newsroom applications we receive. We look to make strong matches between student interests & skillsets and the innovative projects pitched by newsrooms.
Who supervises the student work?
The newsroom/org mentor will give the RJI Student Innovation Fellow regular feedback and provide guidance on projects at least 3 days a week whether in-person or remote. The mentor will also be the main point of contact with RJI on everything related to the fellowship and attend orientation and required zoom meetings.
RJI will meet with Student Fellows regularly prior to and then bi-weekly throughout the 3-month Fellowship to make sure they are learning, supported and achieving their goals.
What am students required to produce for RJI?
Each student’s work will be highlighted in RJI’s Innovation in Focus series and newsletter. These 2-3 articles will be produced by the student fellow over the course of their fellowship to share their innovative project work and help other newsrooms implement the same innovation.
How are the RJI Student Innovation Fellows chosen?
RJI’s Director of Innovation Kat Duncan and Innovation in Focus Editor Emily Lytle will choose up to 10 finalists to interview before awarding the fellowships.
Join us for our inaugural Rural Revenue Transformation Workshop! This workshop is for news, information and community leaders who are located in and serve rural, low-income and geographically dispersed communities.
Dates: April 12-15, 2026
Location: Reynolds Journalism Institute, Columbia Missouri
This experience is two days of hands-on sessions and collaborative activities to workshop solutions for news and information leaders in rural communities. We know that the revenue tactics that may work for newsrooms who serve large populations often do not work for those who serve small, low-income, geographically dispersed communities without access to broadband and other civic infrastructure services. We want to help those serving these communities create transformative collaborative solutions, learn from each other and build strategies that will work for their specific needs.
RJI will provide:
- A local hotel room for April 12-15, 2026
- A limited number of flight scholarships to help those most in need attend this workshop
- Breakfast and lunch each day of the workshop, plus a welcome reception with Mizzou faculty and students
- Support following the workshop to help you implement and try at least one idea we came up with together during the workshop
Our sessions will be built from your needs and input, but topics we have already identified from those we’ve talked with are:
- Attracting and retaining talent
- Revenue building methods specific to rural communities
- Philanthropy and grant opportunities
- Communicating news and information without broadband
- Mixed methods mapping for small communities
Questions? Email Kat Duncan Director of Innovation Duncank@rjionline.org