Chester County Independent Publisher Victor Parkins attended the Kiplinger Fellowship program from May 11 to 14 at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
The Kiplinger Fellowship is designed to help journalists covering critical issues better prepare for the challenges ahead. The 2026 fellowship focused on rebuilding local news, seeking and securing grants and other philanthropic avenues of funding for community newspapers, identifying, engaging, and strengthening relationships with readers, as well as artificial intelligence and its impact on journalism.
Parkins said the fellowship was one of the most impactful journalism events he has ever attended.
“It was comforting and encouraging to be surrounded by like-minded journalists who are experiencing the same challenges we face in each of our markets,” Parkins said. “We heard from some of the brightest journalistic minds in America about solving real-world problems we face each day. I was honored to be a part of the program,” he said.
About a dozen speakers addressed the group, including benefactor Knight Austin Kiplinger. Kiplinger is a well-known and respected economic journalist and former head of the Kiplinger financial media company in Washington, D.C., publishers of business forecasts and personal finance advice. Until the company’s sale in 2019, he was CEO and editor in chief of all its publications, including the weekly Kiplinger Letter, monthly Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, and daily Kiplinger.com. He is a frequent guest on radio and television programs on NPR, CNN, Fox, and CNBC, among others.
Since 1973, journalists have competed for prestigious Kiplinger Fellowships. In recent years, hundreds of journalists from around the world have applied annually for 20 to 25 slots, positioning the Kiplinger Fellowship among a handful of nationally prominent journalism fellowships.
