Updated on July 21, 2022
Now entering its ninth year, the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media has transformed the careers of more than 500 people in news media and tech. Applications for the 2023 program open earlier than usual this year on Aug. 1, 2022!
There will be three separate classes for Poynter’s 2023 program, held March 5-9, May 21-26 and Sept. 24-29 at Poynter’s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. There will be one application to seat all 2023 classes. The deadline to apply is Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.
What are the important dates in the application and selection process?
- Applications open: Monday, Aug. 1, 2022
- Applications close: Friday, Sept. 9, 2022
- Selected applicants notified: November 2022
- Cohort 1: March 5-9, 2023
- Cohort 2: May 21-26, 2023
- Cohort 3: Sept. 24-29, 2023
Can I pick which cohort I want to be in?
For each class, we evaluate both the individuals and the group as a whole: We look for a rich mix of diversity across multiple areas. We also give great consideration to the strengths and weaknesses of the groups; we aim to select a cohort of people who complement one another so that, even after the program ends, the participants can lean heavily upon one another to continue growing and successfully challenging the status quo of the media industry. Therefore, accepted applicants will be placed into one of three classes. Under only extenuating circumstances will we move participants around or defer enrollment.
Who is the ideal candidate for the Leadership Academy for Women in Media?
English-fluent women and nonbinary people from journalism, media and technology organizations all over the world are encouraged to apply. If you think you could benefit from this program, you should probably apply!
This program is designed for those who directly manage people and are within their first five years of formal leadership experience. You can be an early-career journalist stepping into your third year as a manager or you can be a veteran journalist stepping into your first in management — either way, this program was created for you to become a self-aware leader and an effective manager. A cross-discipline understanding of the media landscape is a plus.
If you are not currently managing people, the Leadership Academy’s sister program, Lead With Influence, may be a better program for you right now.
Is this program open to all female-identifying and nonbinary applicants?
Absolutely.
I don’t work for a news company. Can I apply?
Please feel free to apply, but know that we place a priority on journalists who work for news organizations. Freelancers must demonstrate their potential to have a positive impact on the media industry.
Can I apply if I live outside the U.S.?
Yes! The academy is open to English-fluent international applicants.
I applied for the academy before and wasn’t selected. Why should I apply again?
If you don’t get accepted the first or even the second time, we encourage you to apply again! We trust our process in selecting each cohort, and we aim for every person to graduate from this program with a close-knit cohort of like-minded but differently gifted leaders to navigate career and life for years to come.
Prior to submitting your application, we encourage you to seek feedback with our alum. You can find many of them listed with open office hours on digitalwomenleaders.com, a coaching site launched by program co-founder Katie Hawkins-Gaar. We also plan to host two Twitter Spaces AMAs during the application period to answer your questions. Dates TBD.
What do you mean by “an example of a digital project you’ve worked on”?
While we’ve omitted “digital” from the original name of this program, digital work and innovation is no less important.
The project can be anything you’ve worked on, either solo or as a team. This could be a substantial story or series of stories, a website, an app, or anything else in the digital space. In some cases, there may not be one specific final product to point to — you may have coordinated a social media campaign or a real-life event, for example. In that case, explain your involvement and leadership in the project, and your supporting link could be to a hashtag or series of social posts that are a good representation of the work you’ve done.
In addition to looking for an example of your work in the digital space, we’re looking for your self-reflection. Beyond getting the job done, how did the project encourage or teach you to lead? Why was it important to do at all? Who benefited? How did it challenge or change the way your newsroom approaches content, community engagement, sponsorship — you name it? We want to see that you understand the importance of your work and the implications of this work to your growth as a leader.
Can you tell me what you’re looking for with the letter of recommendation?
We recommend you ask someone who works closely with you who could speak to your demonstrated and potential leadership ability and/or grasp of digital media. While this person does not need to be your direct supervisor, it does need to be a person who can put your management style and leadership capacity into context — not just praising you but also noting where you have opportunities to grow. It helps if this is also a person who can personally impact your career trajectory.
The letter should address these questions:
- What can the applicant learn from this seminar that they can later use to benefit others in their organization?
- What leadership traits does this person already possess and how can we help the applicant improve their skills?
We suggest sharing our program page so the person recommending you can be fully informed before submitting the letter. We are not, however, looking for a recommendation letter to simply regurgitate the key learnings from that program page.
How long should a letter of recommendation be?
Due to the volume of applications we receive, please keep recommendation letters to roughly one page. You will need to be ready to copy and paste the recommendation (so, no need for fancy letterhead!) when you submit your application.
To whom should my recommendation letter be addressed?
Since a team from Poynter and volunteers from a variety of journalism organizations will be assisting with the selection process, we suggest addressing recommendation letters to the selection committee, without specific names.
Will it help my chances if I submit more than one recommendation?
We commend your enthusiasm. Please remember that we have a large volume of applications, so select your single strongest recommendation to send with your application.
Any other tips for application success?
Don’t forget to take ownership of your accomplishments. Be clear about your contributions and leadership needs/potential as you draft your bio and project description, even if you worked as part of a team. And while bragging about yourself and your successes is important, it’s also helpful for our panel of readers to see how you think you’ll benefit from this intensive training program. This means being honest with where you see opportunities to grow.
Also, make sure to include all application materials when you submit your application, including your headshot and recommendation letter. It will not be possible to add more details via email after you submit the application form. However, if your job title or employer changed after you submitted your application, please do let us know at info@poynter.org.
How much is tuition?
Tuition is $1,300 and covers six days of teaching from prominent faculty, one-on-one coaching and networking, including social activities and lunch. Participants receive a facilitated 360-degree review and will work with a certified trainer to review their personality inventory. Tuition also goes toward continued support after the academy as part of The Cohort.
As a nonprofit, Poynter works to keep program costs low and participation accessible to people from all types of media organizations and locations. There is a spot on the application to let us know if you require financial aid.
Worried about asking your employer to contribute to your development through this program? Here are some tips for getting them to say “yes.”
Do you offer scholarships?
Each year, we secure sponsorships and donations to further offset costs. We offer need-based scholarships and travel stipends. There is a spot on the application to let us know if you require financial aid.
How does this program differ from ONA’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator?
ONA’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator was born out of the Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media, which ONA and Poynter launched in 2015. The end of our two-year partnership ensures that twice the training is available for women, allowing both organizations to help meet demand.
Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Media is a weeklong, in-depth program designed to help leaders with up to five years of people-management experience move to the next level in their careers. Each academy will include inspiring talks, hands-on activities, candid discussions and networking opportunities all focused on building leadership and management skills. Cohort members will create practical leadership development plans they can implement as they return to the newsroom, and they will receive one-on-one coaching during and after the academy to ensure personal success.
ONA’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator is a year-long, intensive program that supercharges the leadership and management skills of women who are pushing digital innovation. Participants will focus on a challenge specific to their careers and learn leadership skills and tools for navigating change. The Accelerator kicks off with a week of tailored, immersive programming in March, provides support and coaching to participants throughout the year and culminates with a workshop at ONA’s annual conference.
You’re welcome to apply to both programs, but you can participate in only one. ONA and Poynter coordinate during the selection process and work to pair participants with the cohort that will be the best fit for them.
How does this program differ from the Leadership Academy for Diversity in Media?
The Leadership Academy for Women in Media is limited to women and nonbinary journalists. Participants come from around the world. Ways to promote diversity, equity and inclusion are addressed throughout the academy. This program is tuition-based, but you can note in your application that you’d like to be considered for financial aid.
The Leadership Academy for Diversity in Media is for journalists of color of all genders working in U.S.-based news organizations.
May I apply for both Poynter Leadership Academy programs?
You certainly can, if qualified for both programs, but we strive to make opportunities widely available so will be unlikely to admit any individual into two competitive programs in the same calendar year.
How is the Leadership Academy for Women in Media different related to the Lead with Influence program?
Lead With Influence was developed based on the best practices, feedback and application needs of Poynter’s flagship Leadership Academy for Women in Media. The leadership academy is a weeklong, in-person program intended to teach leadership skills to those who are in their first few years of managing people as well as managers who have never had formal leadership training. Lead With Influence takes place online over four weeks and is intended to teach leadership skills to those who manage products, processes or platforms.
If you are not currently managing people, Lead With Influence may be a better program for you. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t apply for Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Media in the future if, and when, you begin managing direct reports.
If you still have questions after reading this page, please contact info@poynter.org.
