Thanks to a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Michigan Journalism Fellows program will be at least $3.25 million richer.
Of the five-year grant, $2.25 million is slated to endow three general fellowships and $1 million will be devoted to covering expenses related to the director's position, according to a Knight Foundation statement.
As a "challenge" grant, MJF needs to match the total figure through its own fund raising to receive the funds, said MJF Director Charles Eisendrath.
"It's the biggest single grant we've ever received," Eisendrath said. "The next biggest single grant was $750,000."
The Knight Foundation, established in 1950, was once associated with Knight-Ridder newspapers but is now completely independent.
"The foundation is one of the 25 largest private foundations," said Del Brinkman, director of journalism programs at the Knight Foundation. "It has programs in journalism, education, arts and culture and community initiatives."
In the field of journalism, the foundation aims to support press freedom worldwide and the education of journalists, Brinkman said. The foundation has provided major support for mid-career journalism fellowship programs like MJF.
"We believe Michigan provides one of the premier mid-career programs for journalists," Brinkman said of the program, which offers professional journalists a year of study at the University. "Our board is intent on sustaining and improving the kind of quality journalism that will inform the America of the 21st century."
The program offers selected mid-career journalists a full academic year of individualized study at the University to become Michigan Journalism Fellows, according to MJF. Candidates are provided full tuition and $30,000 stipends during the year.
"(The grant) is great for us because we realize how wonderful the program is," said Bill Rose, editor of the Miami Herald's Sunday magazine, Tropic, and a member of this year's program.
"A grant of that magnitude pretty much ensures that this program is going to be around for a long time," Rose said. "It proves that the program is one of the premier programs in the country."
Ironically, the University does not offer degrees in journalism.
"There's neither an undergrad major or a grad degree (in journalism)," Eisendrath said. MJF, which was established in 1973, is part of Rackham and receives independent funding.
Brinkman added that MJF is a program where journalists study background subjects rather than journalism itself.
"(The lack of journalism degrees) is an internal issue at the University," Brinkman said.
Rose agreed. "I think it would be great if they did have a journalism major here," he said.
But Rose said he believes in the MJF program.
"I think the MJF program still has tremendous value."