Why apply to Shared Bylines?
Here’s what our students say

As someone who never got a formal j-school training and just muddled along at my school paper, Shared Bylines has been amazing. It really makes you feel connected with all the great racialized journalists coming out of universities. Everyone you get to interact with in the program is super encouraging and is cheering for you! If you're hesitating for some reason or another: Just remember that I applied as someone from the West Coast when it was an Ontario-only opportunity. So push for your dreams! –Michael John Lo, Class of 2021

From incredible lessons about investigations with Tom Cardoso to solutions journalism with Kelly Pedro to the pals I met along the way, I am so thankful for Shared Bylines. It’s truly a program like no other and has prepared me for the future of my career in ways I didn't expect when I joined the first meeting. And even though our pandemic days were filled with Zoom calls, Shared Bylines sessions were ones to look forward to and motivated me in ways I know will stick with me for years to come. –Alessia Passafiume, Class of 2021

Shared Bylines acted like a launchpad for me. I knew that I had a group behind me whenever I had questions or concerns that needed to be addressed. It helped me learn about the industry and make invaluable connections. My mentors always kept tossing job opportunities toward me. I ran my cover letters and applications through them. We became buddies and always stay connected through text and often do conference calls at least once a month. Not only jobs, but I also got to know about journalism awards from my mentors and today I can proudly say that I am one of the finalists in the Student Excellence Category of the CAJ awards. I feel blessed that Shared Bylines gave me this opportunity. It gave me a boost as a young BIPOC journalist and due to being able to know the industry more and having my work critiqued by experts, I completed a six-week internship with the CBC, I got nominated for a national award and I am receiving great support looking for full-time work. Not to forget, the scholarship also helped me finish school with good grades. I love my team and I am proud that I am a Shared Bylines alumnus. –Rhythm Rathi, 2021 scholarship and mentorship recipient

I had a great experience with my mentor and I am super grateful for the time and skills she shared with me. One of the things I learned was networking and how to format e-mails and cover letters to send to future employers. It was also so nice to talk about my dreams and goals and have someone to encourage me and give me advice.

One of the things I liked the most was the fact that I could also talk to her about life outside of school/career stuff. In January someone in my family passed away and I was able to speak about this. It was a difficult time for me but I felt supported enough to open up. The advice I got was very helpful to me in connection to mental health and navigating journalism work/finishing school in general.
–Afua Mfodwo, 2021 scholarship and mentorship recipient

Shared Bylines is a fantastic program for emerging, racialized journalists. The breadth of the workshops – which covered topics such as freelancing pitching, building sources and job interviews – helped equip me with the tools needed to succeed as a young journalist. I still find myself referring to the practical tips I learned from these sessions and applying them to my everyday work. I'm also incredibly grateful for the informal mentorship opportunities that came out of Shared Bylines. The program showed me a broad range of career opportunities that exist in the Canadian media landscape. Perhaps most importantly, however, Shared Bylines offered a space to connect with other young professionals just starting out in the business. Don't miss this incredible program. –Joshua Chong, Class of 2021