ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

The workshop will provide twenty-five energetic and talented college student journalists the opportunity to develop investigative journalism skills with a faculty of distinguished local and national journalists. Besides taking part in a wide range of seminars, panels and exercises, features of the workshop include:

  • Visit The Hartford Courant on Wednesday and sit in on a news conference and meet with staff;
  • Participate in a live broadcast Thursday of the news program Where We Live on WNPR (Connecticut Public Radio);
  • Have a talk by and interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh on Friday afternoon; and
  • Attend a documentary film screening Saturday led by award-winning filmmaker Eugene Jarecki.

Topics covered will include, among many others:

  • Initiating investigative stories
  • Conducting the most effective interview
  • Using public data in investigative reporting
  • Making FOIA requests
  • Video and mixed media journalism
  • Making important stories interesting
  • Journalistic independence
  • Reporting on wars

See the Agenda section for a list of topics covered in workshop sessions.

Workshop faculty, including several Pulitzer Prize-winners, are made up of current and former journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, Newsday, The Hartford Courant, the Associated Press, ABC News and many other media outlets. See the Faculty section for a list of faculty participating.

A memorial project, the workshop's sessions by his colleagues will also reflect on the life and work of David Halberstam (1934-2007). Winner of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the Vietnam War, Halberstam went on to author more than 20 books, many of them best-sellers, such as the classic The Best and the Brightest. Known for his courage, wide-ranging curiosity, exhaustive research, and refusal to be intimidated or co-opted, Halberstam was also a great believer and champion of young journalists.

DATE & LOCATION: June 8-14, 2008, at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT. The workshop will start in the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, and finish in the afternoon of Saturday, June 14. For directions to get to the workshop location, please see Directions.

ELIGIBILITY: Students must have completed at least one year of college by the beginning of the workshop (i.e., be rising sophomores, juniors or seniors). Students will be selected competitively based on their career interest in journalism and demonstrated writing experience.

COST: $350* (room & board included), for accepted applicants. Travel to and from Middletown is the responsibility of each student. No refunds.

*Scholarships available: email registration@journalismworkshop.org for more information.

LAPTOP COMPUTERS: Students with laptop computers who are attending the workshop are asked to bring their computers with them to use during the week. Accepted students who do not have laptops should contact registration@journalismworkshop.org.

TO APPLY: See the Application section for details.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Extended to Monday, May 12, 2008 (postmarked)

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: by Wednesday, May 14, 2008

QUESTIONS: Please contact Adam at registration@journalismworkshop.org / (202) 387-8030

ABOUT CSRL: The Center for Study of Responsive Law (CSRL) is a nonprofit organization founded by Ralph Nader that supports and conducts a wide variety of research and educational projects to encourage the political, economic and social institutions of this country to be more aware of the needs of the citizen-consumer. The Center serves to empower citizens, guard the environment, protect consumers and monitor worker health and safety issues.