The Knight-Wallace Fellows Program at U-M has named 12 American journalists for the academic year 2008-09. Additional international fellows will be designated in June.
While on leave from regular duties, Knight-Wallace Fellows pursue custom-designed sabbatical studies and attend special, twice-weekly seminars at Wallace House, a gift from newsman Mike Wallace and his wife Mary. The journalists named for the coming academic year are part of the 35th group to be offered fellowships by the University.
Each Knight-Wallace Fellow receives a stipend of $70,000, supported by gifts from foundations, news organizations and individuals committed to improving the quality of information reaching the public.
U.S. fellows and their study projects are:
• Darrell Bowling, senior video producer, MSNBC.com: Does diversity in the newsroom influence diverse news coverage?;
• Laurie Copans, Jerusalem correspondent, Associated Press: Prospects for Palestinian independence;
• Richard Deitsch, special projects editor, Sports Illustrated: China and beyond — Exploring the relevancy of the Olympics in the 21st century;
• Stephanie DeGroote, television news producer, Sky News (London): Carbon trading — Can greed save the world?;
• Kathleen Galligan, staff photographer, Detroit Free Press: Federal funding of child welfare;
• John Hill, senior writer, The Sacramento Bee: Federal relinquishment of managing free markets;
• Erica Johnston, assistant metro editor, The Washington Post: Newspaper coverage of gay social issues in American culture;
• Rona Kobell, Chesapeake Bay reporter, The Baltimore Sun: Economic approaches to environmental sustainability;
• Kimberly Kozlowski, health/human service reporter, The Detroit News: The race for stem cell cures;
• Geoff Larcom, columnist, The Ann Arbor News: The psychology of leadership;
• Peggy Lowe, staff writer, The Orange County Register: The intersection of politics with civil and criminal law; and
• Jonathan Martin, staff writer, The Seattle Times: Civil liberties in a time of fear — The detention of sexual predators.
