ANN DOWSETT JOHNSTON WINS ATKINSON FELLOWSHIP IN PUBLIC POLICY - WILL FOCUS ON WOMEN AND ALCOHOL ABUSE (JUNE 10)

June 10, 2010 – Acclaimed Toronto journalist Ann Dowsett Johnston is the recipient of the 22nd annual Atkinson Fellowship. The announcement will be made tonight at The Canadian Journalism Foundation’s 13th Annual Awards Gala.

Dowsett Johnston’s research project, entitled Women and Drinking: Having it All and Then Some, will take a hard look at a growing phenomenon: while women now outstrip their male peers in postsecondary achievement, and match male participation in the workplace, they are also closing the gap in alcohol consumption.

“The Atkinson Fellowship represents a rare opportunity to explore an issue of broad social concern,” says Dowsett Johnston. “I am extremely honoured to have been chosen to research this subject, one that crosses all socioeconomic boundaries, causes undeniable damage to families, broader communities and society at large. I hope my research serves as a wake-up call, connecting some dots for the thinking public. It’s an enormous privilege to be supported by the Atkinson Foundation, The Toronto Star and the Honderich family.”

"We are delighted with the choice of Ms. Dowsett Johnston and her impending research on a topic that has been under the journalistic radar, " noted John Honderich, chair of the Atkinson Fellowship committee.

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Background

Winner of five National Magazine Awards and numerous other honours, Dowsett Johnston spent most of her 30-year career at Maclean’s, where she held a wide variety of senior leadership positions. Best known as the architect of the Maclean’s university rankings, she pioneered a system of evaluating higher education in Canada in 1992. For 14 years, she shaped all educational coverage at the magazine. As a columnist, feature writer and seasoned public speaker, she developed a keen understanding of educational policy in multiple jurisdictions, and became a vocal advocate for reinvestment in higher education.

Established in 1988, the Fellowship is named after The Star’s early publisher Joseph E. Atkinson, and is designed to further Atkinson’s tradition of liberal journalism.  Under the terms of the Fellowship, Dowsett Johnston will spend a year doing research on the public policy issues outlined above, preparing a series of in-depth articles which will be made available to all Canadian newspapers in the fall of 2011.

As part of the terms of the Fellowship, Ann Dowsett Johnston will receive a stipend of $75,000 plus an expense budget of up to $25,000.

The Atkinson Fellowship is an annual competition open to all full-time Canadian journalists in print or broadcast media. Preference is given to those applicants who have already achieved some distinction in reporting on policy issues. The Fellowship is sponsored by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation, the Toronto Star, and the Honderich Family.

1. To be considered, all that is required is a THREE PAGE maximum LETTER of INTENT, along with your curriculum vitae, that summarizes your topic, its importance, brief outline of proposed articles, and treatment/approach to be received by Monday, January 17, 2011.

2. The Fellowship Committee will choose three to five Finalists who will be invited to submit a full application and proposal for consideration for the 2011 Fellowship award. Each finalist will receive an honorarium for submitting a proposal.

Please e-mail and send 4 copies of your Letter of Intent and CV to:

Elizabeth Chan

Coordinator, Atkinson Fellowship Committee

The Atkinson Charitable Foundation

1 Yonge Street, Suite 1508

Toronto, ON M5E 1E5

416 869 4034 telephone

416 865 3619 fax

echan@atkinsonfoundation.ca