Ruby Mulvaney, a double major in journalism and political science with a minor in digital media, has been awarded the 2025-26 James Foley Fellowship by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.
Mulvaney was selected from a strong candidate pool thanks to her unique academic record in journalism and political science, as well as effusive praise from professors and peers.
“As education program director for the Foley Foundation, I am excited to work with Ruby as we work to help journalists confront multiple risks and threats when completing their work,” said Tom Durkin, who also works as research and grant coordinator at Marquette’s Center for Peacemaking. “Jim Foley, a dear friend of mine, believed that moral courage was the bedrock of quality journalism. This year, we had an incredibly strong group of applicants, and I believe Ruby is the perfect choice to carry on Jim’s legacy and continue the work of our previous Foley fellows.”
The Foley Foundation was created in 2014 to honor the legacy of James Foley, a graduate of Marquette and a freelance journalist who was captured and beheaded by ISIS in Syria in 2014. The foundation is dedicated to advocating for the freedom of all Americans kidnapped and wrongfully detained abroad, improving U.S. hostage policy and offering preventive journalist safety curricula.
The Foley Foundation also supports current and future journalists by offering journalist safety curricula, participating in conferences and panels about journalism safety, collaborating with the University of Texas at Austin on a national journalism safety survey of professors and students, and working with journalism organizations around the world.
In today’s current political environment, Mulvaney’s background in both journalism and political science positions her well to assist the Foley Foundation’s programs on journalism safety. Durkin mentioned that Mulvaney’s participation in the Marquette Mentors program, which included traveling to Texas to work with Marquette alum, Amelia Jones (Comm ’18), and tour the Fox News Station in Dallas, stood out.
“It is an honor to be selected to serve as the next Foley Fellow,” Mulvaney said. “James Foley’s story has been an inspiration to me during my time at Marquette, and I am excited to continue the important work done by the Foley Foundation.”
The Marquette Foley Fellowship is funded by the generosity of the James P. Ruder Foundation. The Ruder family, including Suzy and her children, Matt (MU ’94), Megan (MU ’97), and Chris (MU ’97), are staunch supporters of the Foley Foundation and Marquette’s Center for Peacemaking.
