The Guardian has welcomed Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY alum Cris Seda Chabrier as a 2026 Scott Trust Fellow. The nine-month paid fellowship, offered in partnership with the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and supported by the Scott Trust, provides recent graduates with hands-on newsroom experience, professional training and mentorship at one of the world’s leading independent news organizations.
Cris is a bilingual reporter and photojournalist covering immigration whose work has appeared in Politico, Verite News, Mada Masr and the Tucson Sentinel. A 2024 graduate of Newmark J-School’s Bilingual Journalism program, Cris also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras.
“At Newmark, we prepare journalists to serve the public with rigor, integrity and compassion,” said Dean Graciela Mochkofsky. “We’re proud to see Cris continue that journey at the Guardian through this remarkable fellowship. Partnerships like this help bridge the transition from graduate school to the newsroom while creating meaningful opportunities for emerging journalists to grow, contribute, and shape the future of our profession.”
During the fellowship, Cris will work across several of the Guardian’s US-based teams, gaining experience in reporting, editing, audience development, digital strategy and visual storytelling. Fellows contribute to coverage across a wide range of beats — including politics, immigration, climate, culture and lifestyle — while receiving formal training, career development and one-on-one mentorship from Guardian journalists and editors. Cris will work alongside the Guardian’s second 2026 Scott Trust fellow, Austin “Auzzy” Byrdsell, an alum of Morehouse College.
“Investing in emerging talent is at the heart of the Guardian’s mission and essential for our success,” said Dana Canedy, the Guardian’s US managing editor. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome Cris Seda Chabrier and Austin “Auzzy” Byrdsell as our 2026 Scott Trust fellows. Both Cris and Auzzy bring a sharp reporting lens and a deep commitment to community-driven stories. We look forward to working alongside them – providing the mentorship and training to help elevate the next stage of their already bright careers.”
The Guardian Scott Trust Fellowship was created as part of the Scott Trust’s decade-long restorative justice program, launched in response to the Scott Trust Legacies of Enslavement report, which documented links between the Guardian’s founders and transatlantic slavery. The fellowship creates new pathways into journalism by providing paid newsroom experience and professional development for early-career journalists while helping ensure the Guardian’s journalism better reflects the communities it serves.
Cris follows Newmark J-School alumni Briana Ellis-Gibbs and Marina Dunbar, who were selected as the Guardian’s inaugural Scott Trust Fellows in 2024. Participants in this program will contribute to the Guardian’s mission by reporting on previously under-reported regions and communities and increasing opportunities for journalists.