Thiel College communication major attends Ed Bradley Journalism Fellowship in New York City

Posted June 26, 2026 Print

Student Doyle Fellowship Journalists story 2026

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College communications media major Robert Doyle ’28 recently completed the Ed Bradley Journalism Fellowship at New York University, a competitive weeklong journalism program that brought together 20 student journalists from across the United States for intensive professional training, newsroom visits and mentorship.

Check out the story Doyle produced during the fellowship.

Held June 8-14 at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute in New York City, the fellowship is presented in partnership with the Dow Jones News Fund. The program was established to address the underrepresentation of Black men in journalism by preparing emerging reporters for careers in newsrooms through hands-on instruction, networking and reporting experience.

Doyle, a Fort Worth, Texas native, developed his first broadcast news story during the fellowship while expanding his skills in writing, audio and video journalism. Participants also toured major news organizations and met with journalists and newsroom leaders from national media outlets.

“The fellowship helped refine my skills in all areas,” Doyle said. “I took on the challenge of developing a broadcast story for the first time, so I loved the opportunity to gain experience in that field.”

Doyle said one of the week’s most memorable sessions featured New York Times Managing Editor Marc Lacey, who emphasized that today’s journalists are expected to work across multiple storytelling platforms.

“Marc Lacey insisted that the journalists they hire will have skills in writing, audio and video, which signals a shift in what the industry demands from journalists now,” Doyle said.

The fellowship is named for the late Ed Bradley, the award-winning CBS News correspondent best known for his decades reporting on 60 Minutes. Bradley was one of the nation's most respected broadcast journalists and a trailblazer whose career inspired generations of reporters.

During the program, Doyle also gained a deeper understanding of the fellowship’s mission.

“Our newsroom tours made one thing clear; there aren't enough Black male journalists in them,” Doyle said. “This fellowship was created to push Black men like myself to get into these rooms, and every person that spoke to us reiterated the idea that more Black men are needed in this industry. I am inspired to continue my journey so that I can help change this disparity and give back to future young journalists like myself.”

Doyle said the experience reinforced both the value of multimedia storytelling and the importance of representation in the journalism profession. It was his second visit to New York City this year after representing Thiel College at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System conference in February.

Doyle has been active in campus media and student journalism throughout his time at the College. His fellowship experience provided opportunities to strengthen reporting, broadcasting and digital storytelling skills while connecting with professional journalists from leading news organizations.

Doyle’s fellowship project, a multimedia story exploring food, fellowship and Black male mental health, was published by NYU following the program.