Thanks to a historic $500,000 gift, WFAE has established a new fellowship to provide emerging journalists with hands-on newsroom experience, training in community-centered reporting and mentorship from WFAE's award-winning staff.
The Larry and Ginny Hansen Journalism Fellowship was created through a donation from Ginny Hansen in memory of her husband, Larry Hansen, who died in 2023. The donation is the largest individual gift in WFAE's history.
“I thought, is there a possibility of doing an internship for college students who are interested in broadcasting as a career,” said Ginny Hansen in a video announcing the gift. “This would be a wonderful to honor him because he loved radio so much and he felt WFAE was such a strong influence and strong part of news.”
The annual fellowship will give aspiring journalists opportunities to develop their skills while strengthening the station's commitment to serving the Charlotte region. The donation will be held in a restricted fund to ensure annual support for one to three fellows each year, including stipends and training opportunities.
"We are deeply grateful to Mrs. Hansen for making this transformational investment not only in WFAE but also into the lives of young journalists," said Ju-Don Marshall, WFAE president and CEO. "Her gift ensures that there will always be a place at WFAE where they can receive the foundational training they need to launch successful journalism careers."
About Larry Hansen
Ginny and Larry Hansen shared an appreciation for storytelling, curiosity and the essential role journalism plays in strengthening communities.
Larry Hansen’s lifelong love of radio and journalism began in college and continued throughout his career in broadcasting and news. He worked in radio and freelanced for The Charlotte Observer. Larry Hansen passed away in 2023, and his obituary identified WFAE as one of the places people could support in his memory.
2026 Hansen Fellows
This year’s inaugural class of Hansen Fellows includes students from Davidson College, Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill.
Emmy Berger is student at UNC Chapel Hill in the Hussman School of Media and Journalism. Originally, from Davidson, North Carolina, this is Berger’s third summer interning at WFAE as part of the “Charlotte Talks” team.
Noor Nazir is a student at Duke University majoring in international comparative studies with minors in journalism and media and computer science. Nazir is a columnist for The Duke Chronicle and an editorial intern for Duke Today. She has also reported for the 9th Street Journal. In 2026, Nazir received the Frank Barrows Award for Excellence in Collegiate Journalism.
Clara Ottati is a student at Davidson College studying English and history. She served as staff writer and section editor at Davidson’s weekly newspaper, The Davidsonian, and will be editor-in-chief in the fall. Ottati also does freelance writing for her local newspaper, The Wednesday Journal in Oak Park, Illinois.
Applying for the fellowship
The application for the next cohort of Hansen Fellows will open in December. Fellows will be notified in March 2027, and the fellowship will begin in early June.