Supporting the next generation of narrative journalists at Berkeley Journalism.

Berkeley Journalism is establishing the Michael Pollan Narrative Journalism Fund, dedicated to bringing a distinguished narrative journalist to conduct a master class at our school each academic year. We’re continuing Michael's educational mission: preparing the next generation of outstanding longform journalists to creatively address the most important issues of our time.

Michael has pledged a gift of $40,000 to kickstart the fund. It’s that important to him.

You may know Michael as the author of nine path-breaking books, and as a pacesetter in changing our way of thinking about our connection to the natural world — be it food and farming, or psychedelics. He is a true public intellectual, whose work has shaped our world in so many ways.  What you may not know is the role that Michael has played in the lives of a generation of young journalists.

At Berkeley Journalism, Michael served as the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism for almost 20 years (2002–2021). In this role, he launched the 11th Hour Food, Farming and Environmental Journalism Project. Under Michael’s mentorship, 100 journalists received post-graduate fellowships to produce ambitious long form stories on the full range of subjects under the rubric of food systems. Their stories touched on agricultural and nutritional policy, the food industry, food science, rural and urban farming, food and climate change, global trade and supply chains and public health. 

Then in 2020, Michael co-founded Berkeley's Center for the Science of Psychedelics, the first effort from a public university to foster a well-informed, nuanced understanding of psychedelics. As director of the center’s public education program, Michael helped organize the Ferriss–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship, which offers fifteen $10,000 grants per year to journalists reporting in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business and culture of this new era of psychedelics. 

Once again, Michael created opportunities for journalists to explore issues he cared deeply about that were of growing importance in our lives.  In honor of Michael Pollan's contributions to our world, please make as generous a donation as you can to the Michael Pollan Narrative Journalism Fund. You will help ensure that Michael’s legacy thrives in the work of our students now and for generations to come.