The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT has selected 10 students from four universities for the 2026 class of the HBCU Science Journalism Fellowship.
The program provides highly accomplished journalism and science students with training, mentorship, and early career support to do reporting on science, health, and environmental issues.
The 2026 class includes students from Hampton University, Howard University, Morgan State University, and North Carolina A&T State University. The Knight Science Journalism Program worked closely with deans and faculty at the participating schools to select the cohort.
“At a moment when communities really need trustworthy reporting about climate change, public health, and other science-related issues, it’s encouraging to have such a talented cohort of students who are interested in providing exactly that,” said Knight Science Journalism Program Associate Director Ashley Smart. “The work that they’ll do — during the fellowship and beyond — will have a chance to make a real impact.”
Fellows will kick off their fellowship year in June with a week-long science journalism summer camp at MIT, where they will learn from award-winning science journalists, meet editors from leading science publications, and develop their skills in hands-on workshops. Over the following year, each fellow will be mentored by a professional science journalist, who will work with them to pitch stories to national and regional science publications.
The 2025-26 HBCU Science Journalism Fellowship Class
Naaja Flowers,
Hampton University
Davis Dailey,
Howard University
Monjama Kallon,
Howard University
Aleisha Robinson,
Morgan State University
Kani’ya Davis,
North Carolina A&T State University
Amani Turner,
Hampton University
Ananya Hota,
Howard University
Donovan McNeal,
Howard University
Tavon Thomasson,
Morgan State University
Dasia Garner,
North Carolina A&T State University
About the Knight Science Journalism Program
The Knight Science Journalism Program, established at MIT in 1983, is the world’s leading science journalism fellowship program. More than 400 leading science journalists from six continents have graduated from the program, which offers a course of study at MIT, Harvard University, and other leading institutions in the Boston area, as well as specialized training workshops, seminars, and science-focused field trips for all attendees. KSJ also publishes an award-winning science magazine, Undark, and offers programming to journalists on topics ranging from science editing to fact-checking.
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