February 2, 2026
February 2, 2026
Introducing the 2026 Foster the Future Cohort
When we launched Foster the Future in 2022, the idea was simple; help open doors to the communications industry for talented BIPOC students, and keep the doors open.
Five years later, the program has grown beyond what we initially imagined. It’s no longer just a fellowship or a scholarship. It’s an industry-wide signal that the future of communications depends on who gets access, who gets trained and who gets a real shot at building a career — especially as the profession itself is being reshaped by AI, new technologies and rising expectations around trust.
I am proud to introduce the 2026 Foster the Future cohort, our largest and most expansive program to date.
More Agencies. More Investment. More Access.
This year marks an important milestone for Foster the Future.
With 12 participating agencies, including new partners and returning supporters, the 2026 program represents the broadest cross-section of agency involvement since we began. Collectively, partners have committed $99,000 in fellowship awards this year, bringing the total investment since 2022 to more than $340,000.
This growth matters. It reflects a shared belief across the industry that the future of communications depends on widening access — not narrowing it.
Across the cohort, fellows will receive a mix of scholarships, stipends and paid internships, offering both financial support and hands-on experience at agencies in New York, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, and remote environments. These aren’t symbolic roles or resume lines. They’re real opportunities to learn how modern communications actually get done.
Preparing Fellows for a New World of Communications — With AI in It
What’s new this year isn’t just scale. It’s what we’re preparing fellows for.
For the first time, every Foster the Future fellow will also receive professional development training designed to help them navigate a communications landscape increasingly shaped by AI, automation, and new expectations around credibility and impact.
Through partnerships, fellows won’t just learn how to do the work; they'll also learn how to do it well. They’ll learn how to build careers in an industry that’s changing in real time.
Foster the Future partnerships include:
- Muck Rack — providing AI and media intelligence training
- Strong Professional — offering foundational soft skills and leadership development
- Brian Simon Associates — delivering interview preparation and early-career coaching
Communications today requires more than technical skill. It requires judgment. Ethics. Adaptability. And the ability to tell human stories in an AI-flooded environment. This new layer of professional development helps ensure fellows aren’t just entering the industry — but entering the industry prepared.
Leaning In While Others Pull Back
At a moment when many organizations are quietly retreating from DEI commitments, Foster the Future is doing the opposite.
Communications sits at the intersection of technology, business, culture and public trust. In times of volatility, the industry doesn’t need fewer perspectives — it needs more. A comms workforce that reflects the audiences it serves isn’t just more equitable; it’s more effective.
Foster the Future is grounded in the belief that diverse perspectives lead to sharper storytelling, better decision-making and stronger outcomes — especially as AI changes how information is created, distributed and trusted.
An Industry Effort with Industry Impact
Foster the Future isn’t a Mission North program alone. It’s a collaborative effort with agency partners and the PRSA Foundation, all working toward the same goal: expanding opportunity and strengthening the future of our profession.
The 2026 fellowships include the following opportunities:
- Mission North Fellowship: $32,000 scholarship, $6,000 stipend, 12-week internship in New York City or San Francisco, CA
- AGEAN Public Relations Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, five-week remote internship
- LaunchSquad Fellowship: $15,000 scholarship, $4,000 stipend, eight-week remote internship
- Greenough Communications Fellowship: $3,500 scholarship, eight-week internship in Boston, MA
- V2 Communications Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, eight-week internship in Boston, MA
- The Key PR Fellowship: $10,000 scholarship, $4,000 stipend, eight-week internship in San Francisco, CA
- Kite Hill Fellowship: $1,500 scholarship, three-month internship in the New York City or Miami area
- Hirsch Leatherwood Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, eight-week internship in New York City
- EvolveMKD Fellowship: $5,000 scholarship, three-month internship in New York City
- Solcomms Fellowship: $5,000 scholarship, 13-week internship in New York City
- Hannah Cranston Media Fellowship: $3,000 scholarship, 12-week internship in New York City
- Scout Lab Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, three-month internship in New York City or remote
Each fellowship looks a little different, but they all share the same intent: real experience, real support and real pathways into communications careers.
Looking Ahead
Five years in, the momentum behind Foster the Future is clear, but the work isn’t finished.
As the communications industry continues to evolve, so must the way we develop talent. By combining financial support, hands-on experience, and future-ready professional development, Foster the Future is helping ensure the next generation of communicators isn’t just more diverse, it’s actually more prepared to lead.
Applications for the 2026 Foster the Future fellowships are open through February 17, 2026.
If you or someone you know is ready to help shape the future of communications, we encourage you to apply. Let’s build what comes next!
