Journalism Fellowships


National Review Institute sponsors three fellowship opportunities for aspiring writers. Our journalism fellowships are designed to train the next generation of conservative journalists by providing opportunities for recent graduates to write for National Review magazine and NationalReview.com and work directly with NR’s editorial team. The William F. Buckley Fellowship in Political Journalism is offered to two recent college graduates to work as writers/reporters with National Review for one year with the option of extending for a second year. For writers with a little more experience, NRI sponsors the Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellowship, which is funded by the Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation for a recent graduate to write for NR for one year with possible annual extensions for up to three years total. This fellowship has a specific focus on economic issues. Alumni of the fellowship program have gone on to work full-time for National Review, as well as for other influential outlets such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Politico.

The journalism fellowships will be directed by NR’s editorial team. Through daily oversight and regular interaction with other NR writers, the fellows will actively be trained in the art of political  journalism, honing their writing, editing, reporting, and commentary skills, as well as learning about promotion, publicity, and social media. The skills acquired and sharpened will help prepare them for a career in journalism, equipping them to write thoughtfully and eloquently—from a principled perspective—on important issues that impact a free and prosperous society. Fellows receive editorial feedback, guidance, and support in weekly reviews, as well as attend regular lunches with leading conservative thinkers and journalists.

William F. Buckley Jr. Fellowship in Political Journalism
Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellowship

 

William F. Buckley Jr. Fellowship in Political Journalism

William F. Buckley Jr. nurtured two generations of conservative journalists. His enormous legacy includes scores of conservative editors and writers. The annual William F. Buckley Jr. Fellowship in Political Journalism, sponsored by National Review Institute, is a unique opportunity for two recent college graduates to work as writers/reporters with National Review magazine for a one year term (typically starting in May/June).

Fellows receive editorial feedback, guidance, and support in weekly reviews, as well as attend regular lunches with leading conservative thinkers and journalists. Rich Lowry, the editor in chief of National Review, said: “The Buckley journalism program has a proven record of training top-notch young conservative journalists.”

How to Apply
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, current résumé, recommendation from a former employer or professor, current transcript (unofficial acceptable), and a writing sample. The cover letter should explain the applicant’s education, work, other activities, and future goals as they relate to a fellowship with National Review magazine. In other words, “why you and why National Review?” Applications are due on January 31. Please direct applications to info@nrinstitute.org. Apply today or share this with someone who may be interested!

Current William F. Buckley Jr. Fellows in Political Journalism

Kayla Bartsch is a current William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism at National Review. She graduated from Yale College in 2020 with distinction in philosophy and humanities. Prior to joining NR, she worked as a Program Assistant for Hudson Institute Political Studies, and as a Teaching Assistant for their Summer Fellowship, while pursuing an MA in Theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. When away from her desk, Kayla helps lead a debating organization for young professionals in DC called the Cicero Society and sings with the Cathedral Choral Society at the Washington National Cathedral.

Zach Kessel, a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism, is a 2023 graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he led the campus Alexander Hamilton Society chapter. He is a 2023 Media Fellow with the Vandenberg Coalition and, in addition to National Review, his writing has appeared in publications including The Washington Post and The Washington Free Beacon.

Haley Strack is a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism and a graduate of Hillsdale College, where she studies politics and journalism. Haley was recently a Washington Free Beacon intern covering education and books, an investigative fellow with Parents Defending Education, an intern with Young America’s Foundation’s National Journalism Center where she was placed at The Federalist, and a press secretary for a Virginia-based publisher. At Hillsdale she was the Opinions and Hillsdale in D.C. editor of The Hillsdale Collegian. She grew up in California, blocks from Joan Didion, and is a zealous Catholic convert.

Past William F. Buckley Jr. Fellows in Political Journalism

 

Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellowship

The Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellowship was created to honor “Dusty” Rhodes, an engaging and well-respected conservative leader who served as the president of National Review and the chairman of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation’s board of directors. The Rhodes Fellowship is made available to a new or recent college graduate, up to age 25 (when initially applying) who shows interest and capability in writing on, broadly speaking, current affairs, but with a focus on finance, business, taxation, fiscal policy, economics, and the workings of the free market, all of which were subjects of particular interest to Mr. Rhodes. This will be in connection with writing, preparing, and editing National Review’s Capital Matters section. While this will be an important part of the Rhodes fellow’s daily work, he or she would also be encouraged to write for the magazine and elsewhere on the website on other areas of domestic and international policy on topics that might include, but would not be limited to, health care, limited government, education reform, affirmative action, and the state of the conservative movement.

Located in NRI’s New York City office, the Rhodes fellow will work closely with the editor of Capital Matters, and will also be overseen and directed by NR’s editorial team. Through this daily oversight and regular interaction with other NR writers, the Rhodes fellow will actively be trained in the art of journalism, honing his/her writing, editing, reporting, and commentary skills, as well as learning about promotion, publicity, and social media. The skills acquired and sharpened as the Rhodes Fellow will help prepare him/her for a career in journalism, equipping the fellow to write thoughtfully and eloquently—from a principled perspective—on important issues that impact a free and prosperous society.

The Rhodes Fellowship is designed as a one-year fellowship, renewable on an annual basis for up to two additional years (no more than three years).

How to Apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, current résumé, recommendation from a former employer or professor, current transcript (unofficial acceptable), and a writing sample. The cover letter should explain the applicant’s education, work, other activities, and future goals as they relate to a fellowship with National Review magazine. In other words, “why you and why National Review ?” Please direct applications to info@nrinstitute.org.

Current Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellow

Dominic Pino is the Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellow at National Review Institute. He was previously a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism and a National Review editorial intern. He holds a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in economics from George Mason University and was an MA Fellow at the Mercatus Center. During college, he was opinion editor of Fourth Estate, Mason’s student paper. He was a 2020 Political Studies Fellow with the Hertog Foundation and has had past internships with ALEC, The Heritage Foundation, and Tax Foundation. Originally from Wisconsin, he currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia.

Past Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellows

Daniel Tenreiro grew up in New York City and studied economics at Yale University. As an undergraduate, Daniel wrote a biweekly column for the Yale Daily News and served as Project Chair of the Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project.

 

Theodore Kupfer worked for National Review in an editorial capacity and was formerly a WFB and Rhodes fellow at NRI. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and hails from central Pennsylvania. He previously worked at Bridgewater Associates.

 

Jibran Khan is a former Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellow at National Review Institute. He currently works as a freelance writer and editor, providing editorial support to individual and organizational clients.

 

Ian Tuttle is a doctoral student in political theory at the Catholic University of America. From 2015 to 2017, he was the Thomas L. Rhodes Fellow at National Review Institute in New York City. He has been regularly published in, among others, National Review and The New Criterion. He holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College (Annapolis, MD).

Jillian Kay Melchior is an editorial page writer for The Wall Street Journal. She was the first Thomas L. Rhodes Fellow at National Review Institute from 2014 to 2015 and was regularly published in National Review. Jillian holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, MI).