The New York Times Student Journalism Institute

Follow in the footsteps of the best and brightest young journalists in America by applying to The New York Times Student Journalism Institute.

The Institute is offered twice a year, in the first two weeks of January for student members of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and in the last two weeks in May for student members of the National Association of Black Journalists or students at historically black colleges and universities.

The Institute brings together students from historically black colleges and universities and writers, editors, designers and photographers from The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Times Company Regional papers.

Once selected, the students have all of their expenses, including transportation to and from the Institute, paid by The Times. (They also receive a small stipend to provide spending money.) The Times is committed to assuring that no talented student will be denied the opportunity to take part in the Institute because of lack of financial means.

Inside the NY Times Journalism Insitute

The newsroom of the New York Times Student Journalism Institute at Dillard University in New Orleans.

The Institute functions as a working newsroom, with the student reporters, photographers, copy editors, designers, Web producers and video journalists dealing with real news events and publishing a Website that is updated nightly, short documentaries and a newspaper at the end of the program. Newsroom staffers of The Times — reporters, editors, photographers, video journalists and designers — serve as the supervisors for the students. Those staffers are joined by professionals from The Boston Globe and the Regional Newspapers of the Times Company.

Students can expect to spend full days into the nights, reporting, editing, designing or taking photographs or producing documentaries in the rich political, social and historical setting of New Orleans and vicinity. In a dynamic newsroom atmosphere, aspiring journalists see how experienced professionals deal with a range of challenging activities and cover unexpected events in a major metropolitan area. Students also learn what is expected at internships and full-time jobs at news organizations.

Student reporter Brandi Worley covers the visit of President Bush to Baton Rouge, La., during the 2004 New York Times Institute.

Students assigned to breaking news have been issued White House press credentials to cover an appearance by the President, have staked out closed political meetings and have interviewed crime victims. Student projects have ranged from an investigation into racial discrimination on New Orleans' storied Bourbon Street to a financial analysis of Louisiana's support of the Saints football team.

Throughout the two weeks, students have opportunities for intense discussions with award-winning journalists on everything from the nuts and bolts of the everyday life of journalists to the larger issues of the profession. Students will be exposed to the basic principles of journalism and can concentrate on specialties.

Institute: Past and Future

Since the beginning of the Institute in 2003, 12 graduates have been hired fulltime at Times Company newspapers. Among the more than 200 graduates of the Institute there are now fulltime staffers at the Associated Press and Reuters and at newspapers and Websites large and small around the country, from the Belleville News-Democrat to the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and, of course, The New York Times.

The 2010 Institute for student members of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists will be held Jan. 2 through 16 at the University of Arizona in Tucson. The deadline to apply is for the January Institute is Oct. 31 and students will be notified whether they have been accepted no later than Nov. 30.

The 2010 Institute for student who are members of the National Association of Black Journalists or who attend HBCUs will be held May 16 through 31 at Dillard University in New Orleans.

The deadline to apply is for the May Institute is March 21, 2010, and students will be notified whether they have been accepted no later than April 18, 2010.