Jack R. Howard
International Fellowships

An endowment at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism honors the journalistic legacy of Jack R. Howard with fellowships to international journalists pursuing a master’s degree. In its tenth year, the program aims to prepare journalists for stewardship to a free press in their home countries. Back home, these journalists reach out to many others to spread the word about press freedoms.

The fellowships provide full room, board, tuition, and travel for the 10-month program, and fellows participate in special lecture and discussion programs on journalistic norms, cultural values, and the challenges they will face in their professional futures. There is a strong press freedom component built into the program, and fellows are introduced to a broad variety of institutions in New York, ranging from the Committee to Protect Journalists to U.N. and foundation officials with interests in their regions.

2008 Fellows

Maria Mehmood Tirmizi, 28, came to Columbia University with two years of experience as a reporter and columnist at a large daily Pakistani newspaper called The News. Like many your Pakistani journalists, she had first satisfied her family by studying for a profession. She obtained an M.B.A. (finance) from Bahria University in Islamabad and then passed exams to become a civil servant.

Then she struck out on her own and fell in love with journalism. "I joined a newspaper simply because I love to write," she says. "But while I was working, I realized that journalism was not just about having a love for words; it is a field with the potential to alter lives, of powerful and ordinary people alike. And when this power is used in a frivolous, irresponsible manner, it can wreak havoc in a society. With this realization, I wholeheartedly embraced the field of journalism and made up my mind that I would excel in this career. I also promised myself that I would never compromise on integrity and professionalism in a hurry to file a story."

Tirmize hopes to return to Pakistan after she finishes Columbia and write for a magazine or a newspaper. She also wants to teach others who are new to this field.

Zahra Hankir, grew up in Lebanon and Britain. She earned a B. A. in Political Science at the American University in Beirut and an M. A. in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Manchester. She was on an academic track to earn a doctorate in Islamic Studies but opted last year, instead, for journalism in Lebanon because of turmoil there. For the past years, she has been writing investigative reports and analysis of Lebanese political, social, economic and cultural issues for NOW Lebanon, a journalism Web site.

Before her year at NOW, Zahra had combined academic studies with jobs at the Oxford University Press. She discovered her passion for journalism as the editor in chief of Outlook, AUB's college newspaper. "While I was editor, I worked together with a team of 20 students to cover the country's political turmoil and its effect on the student body. The events were many: the unconstitutional extension of pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud's term in 2004; the momentous assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri and his companions in 2005; the "Cedar Revolution", which saw the dissolution of the government and the ousting of Syrian troops from Lebanon; as well as the assassinations of several other prominent figures, among them, two renowned journalist -- Samir Kassir and Gebran Tueni," she says.

Hankir intends to return to Lebanon to continue working as a journalist, ultimately covering the Middle East as a foreign correspondent.

For information about the fellowships, contact Josh Friedman, director, International Program, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, 1-212-854-9148 or jf125@columbia.edu.