Fight Media Bias: Become an AF Writing Fellow

Are you tired of bias in the media? AF’s Writing Fellows Program identifies aspiring journalists who value freedom and liberty – and helps improve writing skills to get published.

This summer, 14 of your peers were trained to advocate free-market ideas in the press. These writers represent a new class of journalists who can advocate America’s founding principles across media. Are you interested in joining them? Applications for our Fall 2017 session are now open, apply today!

Here are some of the newest program graduates who joined the ranks of AF Writing Fellows Program alumni:

Chelsea Follett is Managing Editor of HumanProgress.org, a project of the Cato Institute, which seeks to educate the public on global, market-driven improvements in well-being. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, Global Policy Journal, Forbes, The Hill, the Washington Examiner, and the American Spectator, among other outlets. She has been cited in Investor’s Business Daily, Bloomberg, Christian Science Monitor, and National Review. She earned a bachelor’s in Government and English from the College of William & Mary and a master’s in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.

Davis Richardson is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where he studied Political Theory and Writing, while holding internships with Interview Magazine, IFC Films, AOL, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Since graduating, his writing has appeared in VICE, Nylon, BULLETT Media, Capitol File, The Daily Caller, New Haven Register, and WIRED. His main beats include party polarization and media. He currently is a freelance writer and media strategist in New Haven, Connecticut, and commutes regularly to New York City and Washington, D.C.

Sean Themea serves as Development Strategist at Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). Previously, he served as the Midwest Regional Director for YAL and earned the title of Northeast State Chair of the Year in 2016. Sean has had several pieces published on Capitalism.com. He is currently a participant in the Koch Associate Program with the Charles Koch Institute.

Diana Stancy serves as Communications Fellow with the Network of Enlightened Women (NeW). She previously was a Student Free Press Association Fellow for the Washington Examiner, interned for The Daily Signal at The Heritage Foundation, and interned for NeW. Her writing has been featured in publications including The Daily Signal, the Washington Examiner, The Hill, Red Alert Politics, Campus Reform, and The College Fix. She graduated from Elon University in May 2016 with degrees in Political Science and Journalism.

Katherine Dwyer serves as Marketing Coordinator at the Independent Institute in California. She received a bachelor’s in Economics from San Jose State University. She previously worked as Research Assistant and Communications Fellow at Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty, and as a writer and editor for Heavenly Hope Ministries, which supports humanitarian work in Ethiopia and Uganda. She has been published in outlets including San Jose Inside and the Idaho Statesman.

Cory Warmouth is a 25-year-old freelance writer located in Washington, D.C. Professionally, he provides digital content solutions for federal, state, and local government agencies and entities as a Digital Account Executive with LexisNexis. Previously, he worked for the Ford Motor Company. His writing has appeared in the Washington Examiner. In addition to writing, Cory spends his time running and reading. Some of his favorite authors are Charles Koch and Milton Friedman.

Julie Thompson is a Policy and Research Analyst on the foreign policy team at the Charles Koch Institute. Living in Germany as a child sparked Julie’s interest in foreign affairs, first leading her to study opera before switching to foreign policy and security studies. She earned a master’s in International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, and holds a bachelor’s in International Studies from the University of North Texas. Julie previously interned at the Cato Institute, U.S. European Command, and the U.S. House of Representatives. She has been published by The National Interest, on the Charles Koch Institute’s blog, and on Atlantic-Community.org.

Jacob Bruggeman is from Brunswick, Ohio. He has conducted extensive research on homelessness in American cities. As a 2017-2018 fellow at Miami’s Humanities Center, Bruggeman will explore narratives of exclusion and spaces of extreme poverty. He has worked for the County Commissioners’ Association of Ohio and the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio as an Ohio Public Leader Fellow. At Miami University in Ohio, Bruggeman serves on the AEI Executive Board, the JANUS Forum Steering Committee, the ‘I Am Miami’ values committee, and is the student editor of Miami’s undergraduate journal of history. One of fifteen national recipients, Bruggeman was recently honored as a Gilder Lehrman History Scholar.

Christina Pesavento is a blog contributor for two conservative organizations, the Committee for Justice and the Family Policy Institute of Washington. She writes on issues related to the judiciary and its impact on American culture. She earned a law degree from American University’s Washington College of law. There, she served as President of the Washington College of Law Federalist Society, as a law clerk with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and as Note and Comment Editor for the American University Law Review. Prior to entering law school, Christina graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in Political Science and Sociology.

Shannon Watkins serves as Policy Associate at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal in Raleigh, North Carolina. She writes articles for the Martin Center’s website on higher education policy. Some of her published articles include: “How the Academy Is Failing Feminism,” and “Graphic Novels Are Trending in English Departments, and That’s a Problem.” Watkins graduated from UCLA in 2015 with a degree in Spanish and Linguistics.

Jake Grant was born and raised in northern California and attended San Diego State University, where he received a bachelor’s in Political Science. After graduation, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work in policy at the Coalition to Reduce Spending (CRS). He currently serves as Director of Outreach at CRS. In his free time, he enjoys following the San Francisco Giants and playing sports with friends.