WASHINGTON – Two Howard University students – Jada Ingleton and Jasper Smith – have been named as fellows of the 2024 HBCU Media Collective, a program led by Dow Jones and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. 

From May 29 to June 12, Ingleton and Smith are joining six other HBCU students selected by their deans and faculty members to participate in the program. Hand selected by deans and faculty members, participating students are from, in addition to Howard University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Spelman College, Bowie State University, North Carolina A&T State University and Florida A&M University.  

They will receive newsroom training conducted by The Wall Street Journal and work alongside experienced journalists at Dow Jones’ MarketWatch and Barron’s newsrooms. Fellows will also enroll in graduate-level courses at Columbia University. 

Now in its second year, the program, developed to enhance newsroom diversity and promote financial literacy for participating students, is adding an international component to for fellows to gain greater awareness of global opportunities.  

Gracie Lawson-Borders, Ph.D., dean of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, said Ingleton and Smith are wonderful examples of the caliber of students the school trains for careers in journalism and great representatives of the tenacity and perseverance of demonstrated by the Class of 2024.  

“The Cathy Hughes School of Communications is pleased that two of our talented students, Jasper Smith and Jada Ingleton, will be part of the HBCU Media Collective,” Lawson-Borders said. “Excellence is our expectation, and these two exemplify this goal.” 

Ingleton is excited to “be among the best and brightest journalists and expand her skillset.” 

Ingleton, a digital journalism major with a minor in psychology from Pembroke Pines, Fla., finds her passion and foundation for journalism rooted in a deep connection with creative writing and editing. She has served as an editorial intern for Legacy Magazine and is a copy-editing intern for The Washington Informer. Ingleton also works as a writer for the Howard University News Service. Following completion of the 2024 HBCU Media Collective, Jada will begin a fellowship with the Comcast Digital Equity Local Voices program, writing for Black publications in the Washington, D.C. area, including The Washington Informer 

“I am looking forward to making connections with professors and the people around us while learning so much about journalism and really seizing this opportunity,” Ingleton said, adding that the program will help expand her skillset, expanding her business reporting. 

Smith, a journalism major with a minor in sociology from Phoenix, is thrilled to be part of the fellowship. Smith, who will end two years as The Hilltop’s Editor-in-Chief this academic year, is no stranger to the field of journalism. She completed an internship with The Arizona Republic last summer and has accepted an offer for a fellowship with The Chronicle of Higher Education beginning this summer. Smith looks forward to learning more about the craft of journalism from the well-respected industry leaders with whom she will come into contact. 

“This is such a great opportunity as an emerging journalist,” Smith said, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to have professional journalists pour into her and meet other emerging reporters. “I can’t wait to delve more into my interests of business and higher education reporting.” 

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