NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Rev. Matthew F. Malone, S.J., president and editor in chief of America Media, announced today the selection of three graduating seniors from U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities to serve as the 2021-22 Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Media Fellows. This year’s fellows are:
Douglas Girardot: graduating senior, Boston College
Keara Hanlon: graduating senior, Boston College
Sarah Vincent: graduating senior, Loyola University Chicago
O’Hare fellows spend one year at America Media working on print, digital, audio and film projects while benefiting from mentoring and professional development opportunities. Fellows reside at Fordham University Lincoln Center, where they engage in a dynamic community in the heart of New York City, the media capital of the world.
“This is a highly competitive program and unique opportunity for graduating seniors interested in pursuing a career in journalism,” said Father Malone, “and we are proud to continue offering this opportunity by welcoming Douglas, Keara and Sarah as the sixth cohort of fellows to become a part of the America team.”
The Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Media Fellowship is a program of America Media, co-sponsored by Fordham University. The fellowship is named in honor and memory of Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., who served as editor in chief of America (1975-84) and president of Fordham University (1984-2003).
The O’Hare fellowship is made possible through the generosity of William J. Loschert of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, Class of 1961. He is a member of America Media’s board of directors.
About the 2021-22 O’Hare fellows
Doug Girardot will graduate from Boston College in the spring with a major in history and a minor in Latin. Doug is on the editorial board of The New England Classic, BC’s satire publication, and also writes for the student newspaper, The Heights. A fan of classical music, he is a member of the University Chorale of Boston College and performed as a guest singer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2019. As an O’Hare Fellow at America, Doug is eager to further explore his interests in Catholic sexual ethics, ecumenical movements and ecclesiastical politics, as well as to grow in his spiritual life.
Keara Hanlon is a senior graduating from Boston College, where she studied Communication and minored in Marketing and American Studies. She has been heavily involved in BC’s campus ministry programs, serving as president of the Liturgy Arts Group and as a Kairos retreat leader. A dedicated creative, Keara plays four instruments, sings and takes photos for The Heights, a student-run publication. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, Lambda Pi Eta and Boston College’s Order of the Cross and Crown. She is a voracious reader whose interests include social justice, history and politics, topics she hopes to explore at America!
Sarah Vincent is graduating from Loyola University Chicago, where she studied creative writing, criminal justice and global and international studies. On campus, she has spent three years as a writing center tutor and on the executive board of Diminuendo, Loyola’s literary magazine. She has also interned as a marketing copywriter and worked as an embedded tutor in Loyola’s freshman writing course. A fiction writer and lover of art, she can always be found working on something creative! She loves to travel and explore the world around her, and she is passionate about pursuing social justice, criminal justice reform, and the Catholic imagination.
About the O’Hare Fellowship
The Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Media Fellowship supports the next generation of writers for Catholic media and other forms of professional journalism. The fellowship offers three recent graduates of Jesuit colleges or universities in the United States or Canada the opportunity to develop their literary skills and professional relationships while living and working in the capital of global communications, New York City. O’Hare fellows spend 11 months working at the offices of America Media, where they generate content for America’s multiple platforms: print, web, digital, social media and events. O’Hare fellows enjoy a rich personal and professional experience through ongoing mentoring and other opportunities. Fellows meet regularly with America’s editorial staff, including James Martin, S.J., editor at large of America and a New York Times best-selling author, in order to cultivate their skills and professional networks. At the conclusion of the program, O’Hare fellows are uniquely suited to pursue successful careers in Catholic media or other forms of professional journalism. O’Hare fellows receive housing at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center Campus, health care coverage and a monthly stipend for living expenses during the 11 months of the program. www.oharefellows.org
About America Media
America Media is the leading provider of editorial content for thinking Catholics and those who want to know what Catholics are thinking. America Media leads the conversation about faith and culture by producing excellent, unique, relevant and accessible content across multiple platforms. Our contributors are the principal figures in the American church; the decision-makers and opinion leaders who lead the ecclesial and civic debate about religion, society, politics and the arts. Those with something to say to the American church say it in America: popes and presidents; Nobel laureates; Pulitzer Prize winners; world-renowned scholars; and distinguished men and women of letters. Our flagship magazine, America, has been published continuously since 1909, making it one of the oldest periodicals in the United States today. www.americamagazine.org
