Storymakers FAQ

A: The program is designed for full-time, established researchers whose primary field of study is environment- or sustainability-related topics. We encourage natural-science, social-science, and humanities researchers to apply. To date, most Fellows have been tenured faculty at leading four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, but we welcome interested professionals who study environmental and sustainability issues at state academies of sciences, government agencies, and independent research organizations. The program is especially suitable for mid-career faculty and those who are at an inflection point in their career.

A: Researchers from outside North America are welcome to apply but should be aware of the following details:

• Our instructors are American professionals focused on the English-speaking media market. We prioritize applicants whose primary audience aligns with our expertise.
• All program instruction is conducted in English, and some technical language is involved.
• Applicants must fund their own travel to and from Los Angeles, California, and are solely responsible for meeting all requirements, such as visas, for legally entering the country to participate in this program.

A: Applications for the 2026 cohort are due by 11 p.m. Pacific Time on February 1, 2026. Applications will be reviewed and fellows accepted on a rolling basis, so we encourage all interested individuals to apply as early as possible in the application period.

A: Applications will be evaluated and fellows selected on a rolling basis. All decisions will be finalized and shared by March 15, 2026.

A: Fellows are responsible for their own travel to and from Los Angeles, plus their arrival and departure hotels, if needed. The Wrigley Institute will recommend hotels and may arrange for discounted room blocks, if demand is sufficient.

The fellowship covers all costs associated with program instruction; ground transportation from a designated local hotel to the boat dock for departure; boat transportation on the USC vessel Miss Christi between San Pedro, CA, and the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Santa Catalina Island; room, board, and all scheduled activities while on the island; and hosted arrival and departure dinners.

A: We encourage you to investigate whether all or part of your out-of-pocket expenses may be payable through research or professional development funding available through your home institution or third parties, such as foundation grants. Unfortunately, the Wrigley Institute is not able to provide financial support beyond underwriting program costs as outlined above.

A: The core program will take place at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Santa Catalina Island, 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. WMSC is the satellite campus of the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, and is located in a nature preserve in a remote part of Catalina Island.

The hosted arrival dinner will take place at a location TBD near the designated arrival hotel, and the departure dinner will take place on Catalina Island.

A: The Wrigley Marine Science Center campus is equipped with modern, comfortable lodging and other facilities. Fellows will be housed in townhome-, apartment-, or cottage-style housing with private bedrooms and shared living areas and bathrooms. WMSC also has a fully-equipped dining hall that serves three delicious meals each day. A restaurant and general store are available in the village of Two Harbors, which is about two miles away.

First aid assistance is available on campus through the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, an emergency medical facility for diving injuries. The campus is served by Bay Watch paramedics for emergency situations and has a helipad for medical evacuations. However, the nearest pharmacy and hospital are 90 minutes away on unpaved roads. All Fellows are encouraged to bring enough essential medications for the duration of their stay and to take care of any predictable medical needs before arriving in Los Angeles.

A: The 2026 program will take place July 20-26, 2026. We recommend that all Fellows plan to stay at the recommended arrival hotel on the night of July 19, as the boat for Catalina Island will depart from San Pedro early in the morning on July 20. Fellows will return to the mainland for departure at midday on July 26.

A: Fellows are responsible for booking their own travel to and from Los Angeles and their arrival and departure hotels, if needed. Depending on demand, the Wrigley Institute may arrange for a discounted room block at the recommended arrival hotel.

Ground transportation between the recommended arrival hotel and the boat dock, and round-trip boat transportation between Los Angeles and Catalina Island, will be provided and booked for you by the Wrigley Institute.

More details on travel will be communicated to accepted Fellows in early 2026.

A: Storymakers is an intensive program whose impact and value stems, in part, from the dynamic of living and working together for a week. Conversations over meals, hikes and snorkels on Catalina Island, and the peacefulness and separation of the surroundings are all key contributors to learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and effective work. For these reasons, all Fellows and primary instructors are required to be on site in order to participate.

A: Storymakers is an intensive program, and every day counts. Please apply only if you can commit to being fully present for the entire week. If you are unable to make such a commitment this year, we encourage you to apply during a sabbatical year or at a similar time when you have fewer competing commitments.

A: Each day of Storymakers involves a full day of programming, and sessions involve intensive thinking, creating, and learning. Down time is built into the program, but is meant to be used for quiet work, rest, or inspiration. If you feel that your focus will be divided, we encourage you to apply during a sabbatical year or at a similar time when you have fewer competing commitments.

A: Not at all! You should have an idea of the core message, theme, or story you want to convey to the public, but you do not need to have a specific project in mind. In fact, Storymakers is designed to encourage you to consider unexpected storytelling avenues. We recommend that you come to the program with an open mind about possible projects.

A: The overarching theme of this program is the use of powerful narratives to catalyze change around the environment and sustainability. We will examine how stories can be used ethically and effectively for this purpose. Expert instructors will guide Fellows through storytelling written, audio, and experiential/immersive formats. We will cover elements of craft (e.g., how to structure a piece of writing), creative process (e.g., surfacing personal memories and building scenes), and business (e.g., how to pitch to an agent).

A: The official Storymakers program lasts one week, but its long-term impact will be what you make of it. We encourage followups and relationship-building after the program ends, and many Fellows form lasting friendships and collaborations with the other members of their cohort. Some have created critique groups, accountability circles, and other voluntary means of continuing to support each other as alumns. In addition, the program is designed to help you build your professional network of people who can help advance creative projects. Many Fellows go on to work with book agents, producers, and others who have served as instructors, guest speakers, or friends of the program.