Overview
The mission of the Carlo Acutis Scholarship is to support college-age writers interested in exploring a career in Catholic journalism or communications. The fellowship offers full-time college students or recent graduates in the United States or Canada the opportunity to develop their creative skills and professional relationships within the context of the Catholic Media Conference, the flagship event of the Catholic Media Association. Recipients will attend the conference, where they will have the chance to connect with and learn from veteran Catholic journalists.
This scholarship is made possible through the generosity of the Catholic Journalist Scholarship Fund, eCatholic and the Catholic Extension Society. The number of scholarships and the amount offered may vary from year to year.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and enrolled students studying at an accredited North American college or university, located within the United States or Canada, or must have graduated between January and June in the year the conference takes place.
- Applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or equivalent.
- Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada.
- Applicants should be familiar with the Roman Catholic tradition and have some appreciation for the role of the Catholic media in the United States and Canada.
Requirements
- Scholarship recipients must be willing to commit to active participation in the full conference, including workshops and master camps, and must attend the conference in its entirety.
- Recipients must create at least four unique posts on social media during the event, tagging and using the official hashtag of the conference.
- Recipients must also submit photos or a short video from their time at the conference for CMA recap use.
Application Details
Applications for the 2026 Carlo Acutis fellowship will be accepted between November 2025 and February 2026. There is no application fee. All questions and inquiries should be directed to Meg Plummer at mplummer@catholicmediaassociation.org. All applications should include the following:
- A letter of introduction and a resume
- Four content samples. Samples can include newspaper and magazine clips, academic papers, blog posts, film pieces, podcasts and unpublished pieces. At least two content samples should be written samples not exceeding 1,500 words each.
- An unofficial academic transcript
- Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member or a professional journalist who is familiar with the applicant’s media talents.
- A description of three story ideas for Catholic media. Please name the publication to which you would submit each idea. You may choose the same publication for all three or choose more than one publication.
- 1) a self-reported feature or essay
- 2) an article on an important debate from the world of politics, policy or ideas
- 3) a multimedia story.
(Pitches are for evaluation purposes only and do not constitute an offer for work. The description of each of these ideas should not be longer than one paragraph.)
Timeline
- November 15: Application portal opens.
- February 1: Application portal closes.
- December-February: Review of applications and notification of first-round decisions.
- February-March: Zoom interviews
- March-April: Offer of scholarship
- June 16-19, Atlantic City, N.J.: Catholic Media Conference
We reserve the right to conclude the application process prior to the final deadline if a suitable candidate has been found.
About the Catholic Media Association
Terms of Use Agreement
- The Catholic Media Association agrees to cover the cost of the CMC Conference registration, four nights at the official conference hotel, and travel reimbursement up to $500. Additional meals, travel and other ancillary expenses will be the sole responsibility of the scholarship recipient.