Only journalists who are fully employed by a newspaper in membership of the CPU are eligible to apply.
The Fellowship, funded by the Alva Foundation and administered by the CPU, is awarded to one Commonwealth newspaper journalist each year, enabling the winner to spend a year at the University of Toronto doing postgraduate study in a field of his or her choosing.
The program runs in tandem with the Canadian Journalism Fellowship Program,
formerly known as the Southam Journalism Fellowship program which, since
1962 has been awarded to three or more Canadian journalists, and is also
tenable for one academic year at the University of Toronto.
Particular consideration is given to newspaper people from New
Commonwealth or developing countries. Successful candidates are chosen
for professional competence and future - potential as effective and
responsible
newspaper leaders. Successful applicants are able to choose
from a wide range of university courses and activities and are free to
audit any graduate or undergraduate course and to use the full
facilities of the University of Toronto. There are no educational
prerequisites for the Fisher Fellowship, nor do Fellows receive credits
or degrees for work done during the school year.
To obtain the maximum benefit from the program, the Fisher Fellow will
agree to refrain from professional work, including writing and
broadcasting, during the period of the Fellowship. Those selected are appointed Fellows-at-Large at the University of Toronto, with all the privileges of a Senior Resident of Massey.
The Fisher Fellowship programme combines general education with
concentration in at least two courses; one academic course must be taken
in full and all assignments completed. In a parallel, extra-curricular
program, the Fisher Fellow meets regularly with Southam Fellows in
informal seminars to discuss contemporary issues with eminent
personalities from a wide variety of professions.
The Fisher Fellowship will underwrite for the eight-month university year: the Fellow's regular pro-rated gross annual salary, all university fees, travel expenses up to the cost of economy air fare to and from Toronto and provide living accommodation and meals. Unfortunately, there is no provision for including family members in this program.
The 2008/9 Gordon Fisher Fellow will be announced in April 2008.
Robert Musaka
The 2008/9 Gordon Fisher Fellowship has been awarded to Robert Mukasa.
Born in Kampala, Uganda in 1972, Robert Mukasa was raised by an uncle in a family of ten siblings. He attended Makerere University on a full government scholarship graduating in 1995 with a BA in Mass Communication and Political Science. He started his journalism career as an intern for The Daily Monitor in 1995 and is still there today. An independent newspaper, The Monitor was set up in 1992 by a group of journalists.
As a reporter, he extensively covered stories on corruption and the war. In 2001, he was asked to take up the role of city news editor, a new desk for the paper. Shortly afterwards, he was made assistant news editor and become then the news editor in 2004 – the post he holds today.
Stories written by previous Fellows
A fairy tale come true by Andrew Teyie
When my memoirs are written, my association with Massey College in the University of Toronto will be more than just a footnote... |
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| Emmanuel Akli, the 2006/7 fellow tells how Massey College turned out to be the 'Home away from home to remember'. |
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| If you would like to have a better understanding of what you may experience in Canada whilst on the Fellowship, read Omatie Lyder's story 'Trading Places' |
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| The 2004/5 Fellow Claude Mills, returned home to Jamaica in May 2005. Read his story 'Postcard from Canuckland'. |
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Visit the Massey College website at
www.utoronto.ca/massey/
Previous Fellows since 1995 are:
2007/8 Andrew Teyie, The Standard, Kenya
2006/7 Emmanuel Akli, The Chronicle, Ghana
2005/6 Bashir Tariqe, The News, Pakistan
2004/5 Claude Mills, The Gleaner, Jamaica
2003/4 Rozi Ali, New Straits Times, Malaysia
2002/3 Omatie Lyder, Sunday Express, Trinidad
Fola Adekeye, Newswatch, Nigeria
2000/1 Ransford Tetteh, Daily Graphic, Ghana
1999/0 Vijay Thapa, India Today, India
1998/9 Debkumar Mitra, The Telegraph, India
1997/8 Sara Sseggane, The Monitor, Uganda
1996/7 Kajubi Mukajanga, Wakati Ni Huu, Tanzania
1995/6 Lawrence Liandisha, Times of Zambia
1994/6 Ms Patience Akpan, African Concord Magazine, Nigeria
More details on the Gordon Fisher Fellowship are available on the Massey College website:
www.utoronto.ca/massey
The University of Toronto's website is :
www.utoronto.ca
Please note that the CPU regrets that it is unable to offer individual scholarships or fellowships other than those mentioned above.
