The EWTN Summer Academy and Young Journalist Alumni Program is a worldwide effort that trains and connects up-and-coming journalists and media professionals to blend faith, reason, and integrity in public communication. In an era of digital disruption and waning trust in journalism, the program addresses a vital need: developing communicators who view truth-telling as both a professional responsibility and a moral obligation.
Open to applicants of all religious and philosophical backgrounds, the academy brings together 40–50 participants aged 21–35 worldwide for a 10-day immersive program combining intensive media training with deep intellectual and spiritual development. Lectures and workshops—led by journalists from major outlets and scholars in theology, philosophy, and science—examine the connection between truth, technology, and the human person. Participants produce professional-quality media projects, collaborate across cultures, and participate in guided reflection on how communication can promote human dignity and understanding. Participants come from diverse media backgrounds—including reporters, filmmakers, photographers, and digital creators—and receive training tailored to platform-driven journalism, including AI-assisted reporting, digital distribution strategy, and evolving ownership models.
Graduates join a year-round alumni network that provides mentorship, seminars, and collaborative projects, culminating every three years with a Vatican Media Conference featuring global experts.
Over 36 months, more than 150 alumni will develop into thoughtful communicators whose work reflects honesty, empathy, and curiosity. By fostering intellectual humility and moral clarity in the next generation of journalists, the program aims to strengthen professional norms and trust-building practices in media, improve public discourse, and support the John Templeton Foundation’s mission to explore truth, virtue, and human flourishing.
