Canwest creates Michelle Lang fellowship

Canwest Publishing has announced the creation of a new fellowship to honour Michelle Lang, the Calgary Herald reporter who was killed while reporting in Afghanistan late last year.

According to a Canwest news release, here is what the new Michelle Lang Fellowship in Journalism will offer a recent Canadian university graduate (from any discipline):

“The trust will award up to $10,000 annually to fund a special news project that holds significance for a Canadian audience. In order to achieve this goal, fellows will be expected to develop a project that would address the goals Michelle aspired to in her daily journalism: telling stories that have gone unreported or unnoticed on topics of social significance. This special project is limited only to the fellow’s own imagination – but should be inspired by Michelle’s own portfolio of work. In addition, Canwest Publishing will fund the salary of a full year internship for the Fellow: six months at the Calgary Herald and six months at Canwest News Service in Ottawa.”

The fellowship is funded by an initial investment of $100,000, $80,000 of which comes from Canwest Publishing and David, Gail and Leonard Asper gave personal donations totalling $20,000.

Application details will be available in March and any questions can be sent to michellelangfellowship@canwest.com.