The O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism has selected five U.S. journalists for its 2026–27 investigative reporting fellowships: Matt Stroud of Pittsburgh; Devi Shastri, PrincessSafiya Byers, and Kelly Meyerhofer of Milwaukee; and Anna Baydakova of New York.
“This talented group of journalists was selected from the largest applicant pool in O’Brien’s 14-year history,” said Jeffery Gerritt, director of the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism. “The diversity of their projects reflects both the future of journalism and O’Brien’s traditional mission of advancing justice and equity.”
Stroud, Shastri, Byers and Baydakova will each receive $75,000, along with additional stipends for research, travel and housing, to complete nine-month investigative projects running from August 2026 through May 2027.
Their work will examine issues including defense spending and surveillance technology, children’s public health, youth homelessness and artificial intelligence in schools. Meyerhofer will complete her fellowship while continuing her role at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
