SJMC students selected for competitive Texas Tribune fellowships

Proud moment for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University! Two students from SJMC have been selected for Spring 2026 fellowships at the Texas Tribune, a nationally respected nonprofit newsroom known for its rigorous reporting and selective early-career programs.

Grace Lehrmann, a senior majoring in public relations with a minor in media studies, was named a marketing and communications fellow. Lehrmann has professional experience in government communications, including managing social media accounts and producing newsletters for the Texas Senate. Fellowship placements at the Tribune are highly competitive, drawing applicants from universities across the country.

Kimberly Olivas was selected as a video engagement fellow and will be based in San Marcos. Olivas is a senior journalism major with minors in psychology and sociology. Her reporting has appeared in the San Marcos Daily Record, and she has freelanced for Eater Austin. A bilingual multimedia journalist, Olivas also works in digital media and audio production at Texas State.

The Texas Tribune fellowship program offers paid, hands-on newsroom experience during the spring semester, with opportunities to continue full time over the summer. Fellows work alongside professional journalists, editors, and audience strategists while contributing to coverage of Texas politics, public policy, and statewide issues.

These fellowships help reflect the caliber of work students are producing and the professional preparation they receive at Texas State with the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

Lehrmann and Olivas join a small cohort of fellows nationwide chosen for Spring 2026, underscoring SJMC’s continued presence in competitive, high-impact media spaces.