In 1967, Nelson Poynter established the Poynter Fellowship in Journalism to bring distinguished journalists who have made significant contributions in their fields to Yale.
By sponsoring symposia and conferences on issues of broad public interest, fellows are invited to deliver lectures and meet with faculty and students, allowing them to gain a unique insight into the media and its role in contemporary culture.
While Poynter Fellows have traditionally visited the campus for one to two days, often staying in Yale’s residential colleges’ guest suite, the program recently adapted to include virtual, in-person, and hybrid events. Whether online or in-person, the emphasis of each visit is to exchange ideas with students and faculty in a relaxed environment: over meals, at a seminar table, at a Head of College tea, or on Zoom. One session is usually open to the entire Yale community and the public; other discussions are reserved for specific classes, departments, and invited groups of undergraduates, graduate students, and professors.
The Poynter Fellowship sponsors visits by reporters, editors, and print and broadcast media professionals, documentary filmmakers, communications experts, and media critics. The program also sponsors conferences and symposium on a range of topics. Conferences typically invite several distinguished journalists to Yale to participate in joint sessions with other invitees and meet with small groups of students and faculty. Most Poynter Fellows come from throughout the United States, but the program has also sponsored visits by overseas journalists and plans to increase the number of international fellows to its roster.