WASHINGTON, DC: The Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation today announced that it will partner with Alfred Friendly Press Partners (AFPP) to fund a fellowship for a mid-career journalist from India in 2017 in the United States for six months.
The fellowship will be administered by AFPP, which has so far trained 300 journalists from the developing world. The Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Fellow will work in a major newsroom in Washington, DC, for five months after undergoing a five-week training at Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, MO.
“The Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation is proud to join hands with Alfred Friendly Press Partners to fund a fellowship for a mid-career journalist from India,” Frank F. Islam, President of the Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation, said in a statement. “Debbie and I consider the fellowship as a strategic investment in free press. Over the past three decades, AFPP has trained 15 world class journalists from India who have gone on to become leaders in the field. It is our earnest belief that the FIDD Fellow will continue that tradition.”
Randall D. Smith, President of the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships, issued the following statement:
“We are especially delighted to welcome Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman to our fold. Family is the reason that we’ve been able to train more than 300 journalists in 90 different countries for over 30 years. Debbie and Frank are ambassadors for democracy, and they understand the critical importance of a free press. Debbie and Frank’s investment will impact thousands of lives in ways that can’t yet be imagined. That’s the magic of quality journalism.”
A candidate who has three years of professional experience as a journalist and employed as a journalist by an independent news media organization in India can apply for the fellowship, the Foundation said.
During the roughly six-month program, the FIDD Fellow will:
- gain experience in reporting, writing, editing, and editorial decision-making that will enhance professional performance;
- a practical understanding of the function and significance of the free press in American society;
- have a firsthand knowledge of the industry’s technological advances; and Transfer knowledge to colleagues at home in India.
About the Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation:
The Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation is a non-profit foundation started by prominent IT entrepreneur Frank Islam and his wife, Debbie Driesman. It is located in Potomac, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. The primary mission of the foundation is to promote education, art and culture, and peace and conflict-resolution.
About Alfred Friendly Press Partners:
Alfred Friendly Press Partners bonds with journalists and news organizations from information hungry societies and prepares them to practice professional, ethical, and innovative journalism. It accomplishes its mission through hands-on training in U.S. and international newsrooms and within the Missouri School of Journalism. The organization is the leader in transforming journalists who are recognized as vital to journalism excellence, press freedom, and informed citizenries.
For more information, contact ffislam@verizon.com.