Liz Schlemmer named next WUNC Fletcher Fellow for Education Policy Reporting

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media master's graduate and Park Fellow Liz Schlemmer '17 (M.A.) began her two-year run as WUNC's next Fletcher Fellow for Education Policy Reporting in August.

"I'm honored to have this opportunity to serve as the next Fletcher Fellow and to bring quality journalism focused on education policy to audiences across the state," said Schlemmer. "The fellowship is an investment both in recent UNC graduates and in the importance of education coverage."

Schlemmer is interested in state government, social science and criminal justice. 

She is the third recipient of the two-year post-graduate fellowship, following fellow alumnae Reema Khrais '12 and Jess Clark '15 (M.A.). Founded in 2013, the fellowship is funded by the A.J. Fletcher Foundation and dedicated to in-depth radio reporting on under-covered education issues. 

Khrais covered pre-kindergarten through high school education during her fellowship, while Clark focused on the N.C. General Assembly's impact on education. Khrais is now based in Los Angeles and is a general reporter for Marketplace. Clark is now an education desk reporter at WWNO in New Orleans. 

"I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work for WUNC as the Fletcher Fellow for Education Policy Reporting," said Clark. "The experience allowed me to build on the excellent education I received at the School of Media and Journalism, and develop expertise in covering education policy. The position was a big boost to my career, and launched me to my current position covering education for WWNO in New Orleans. I'm excited to bring the reporting skills built during my two years as a Fletcher Fellow to the exciting education landscape of New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana."

The partnership between the Hussman School and the station serves as a model for advanced journalism training to develop thoughtful policy reporters for the community. To follow Schlemmer's reporting, visit wunc.org/people/liz-schlemmer. For press inquiries, please contact wunc@wunc.org.

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About North Carolina Public Radio® – WUNC

WUNC is a news and information station that serves listeners with a mix of national, international and state news.  It is the most listened to public radio station in the state and was a recent winner of an Edward R Murrow Award for excellence in journalism.  It is licensed to WUNC Public Radio LLC, an affiliate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About A.J. Fletcher Foundation

The mission of Fletcher Foundation is to support nonprofit organizations in their endeavors to enrich the lives and well-being of people in North Carolina.  To achieve this, AJF partners with nonprofit organizations that recognize and solve social and civic problems and provides resources to advance big, bold ideas.  For more information, visit ajf.org.