Wallace House Center for Journalists and the University of Michigan today announced the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows for the 2026-2027 academic year. This cohort of 19 accomplished journalists — from eight countries and across the United States — represents the 53rd class of Fellows in our program’s history.
Over the course of the academic year, the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows will pursue ambitious projects exploring pressing issues, including sustainable models for rural and hyperlocal news, the collapse of institutional trust, the future of media innovation and AI, and newsroom culture and censorship. In addition to their individual research, they will participate in biweekly seminars and workshops with scholars, innovators, journalism leaders and social changemakers.
“One of the most exciting aspects of our work each year is creating the space for accomplished journalists to learn from and with one another,” said Lynette Clemetson, director of Wallace House. “In a time fraught with challenges to the independence, safety and sustainability of the press, it is a privilege to provide this group of leaders and changemakers the time and resources to expand their skills and pursue ambitious work.”
In addition to the academic and intellectual resources provided, Fellows receive a $90,000 stipend, health insurance and relocation and logistical support to enable them to participate in the residential program and prioritize their fellowship research for the academic year. Fellows will reside in the Ann Arbor area and enjoy collaborative workshops and skills training at Wallace House, a gift from the late newsman Mike Wallace and his wife, Mary and the program’s home base.
Among the 2026-2027 class are four journalists selected for fellowships created more recently to expand our longstanding program. These newer specialized fellowships are designed to revitalize local news in the Great Lakes region, strengthen reporting tied to data and social science research, and support arts journalism and criticism. The journalists awarded these fellowships are Matt Fuchs, the James S. House and Wendy Fisher House Social Science Fellow; Clare Roth and Reid Williams, Great Lakes Local News Fellows; and Mankaprr Conteh, the Knight-Wallace Arts Journalism Fellow.
Wallace House’s Knight-Wallace Fellowship program is sustained through endowment gifts from foundations, institutional and individual donors, as well as annual and ongoing contributions from funders committed to journalism’s role in fostering an informed and engaged public.
The 2026-2027 Knight-Wallace Fellows and Their Journalism Projects:
Tanzil Asif, founder of Main Media, will build sustainable models for rural, hyperlocal journalism in India.
Ana Brakus, executive director of Faktograf, will research survival strategies from newsrooms in repressive environments around the world.
Anastasiia Carrier, public health and safety reporter for Charlottesville Tomorrow, will examine accountability gaps in U.S. medical malpractice oversight.
Libby Casey, visual and audio journalist, will explore the power of social media content creators to build journalism’s future in newsrooms.
Mankaprr Conteh, arts and culture journalist, will trace the history, future and impact of global pop music in mainstream America. Conteh is the Arts Journalism Fellow in partnership with the University of Michigan Arts Initiative.
Allister D’Souza, documentary producer and multimedia journalist, will examine the rise of self-censorship in democratic newsrooms.
Lev Facher, addiction reporter for STAT, will investigate sports betting as America’s next addiction crisis.
Kristin Fraser, multi-platform storyteller, will explore frameworks for archiving past and present television news coverage to preserve the history of TV news.
Matt Fuchs, science and health journalist, will study how science is reshaping our understanding of middle age. Fuchs is the James S. House and Wendy Fisher House Social Science Fellow.
Erica Hellerstein, immigration and labor reporter for El Tímpano, will explore and document America’s battles over history as a window into the country’s unresolved struggle over national identity, memory and belonging.
Van Le, investigative journalist and filmmaker, will examine war trauma and reconciliation among Vietnamese people today, both inside the country and across the diaspora.
Shan Li, South Asia correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, will explore how economic discontent is fueling Gen Z revolutions across Asia and the U.S.
Nokuthula Manyathi, newsroom manager and digital publishing strategist, will develop recommendations for fostering more empowering newsroom cultures.
Yongha Park, reporter for The Kyunghyang Shinmun, will explore how AI-powered content can innovate legacy media.
Clare Roth, managing editor of The Ohio Newsroom, will build a collaborative rural news model to sustain reporters who serve news deserts. Roth is a Great Lakes Local News Fellow.
LaCrai Scott, producer for the CBS Evening News, will study the mechanics of building a media company in today’s fragmenting media landscape.
Luke Vander Ploeg, audio journalist for The New York Times, will explore the continued rise of homeschooling in America as a lens into the collapse of institutional trust.
Rachel Weiner, transportation reporter, will investigate the root causes of traffic deaths in the United States and the efforts to reduce them.
Reid Williams, co-director of the Local Journalism Foundation of Kalamazoo County, will build the case for civic programming in newsrooms. Williams is a Great Lakes Local News Fellow.
Read more about the 2026-2027 Knight-Wallace Fellows and their journalism projects »
About Wallace House Center for Journalists
Committed to fostering excellence in journalism, Wallace House at the University of Michigan is home to the Knight-Wallace Fellowships, the Livingston Awards and the Wallace House Presents event series, programs that recognize exceptional journalists for their work, leadership and potential.
wallacehouse.umich.edu
