Rhoden Fellows

The Rhoden Fellows Initiative is a one-year training program for the next generation of sports journalists from historically black colleges and universities, headed by Undefeated editor-at-large and former New York Times award-winning columnist William C. Rhoden. The fellowship – established as part of The Undefeated’s mission to develop new voices and serve as an incubator for future multicultural journalists – is open to outstanding undergraduate students at HBCUs. Eryn Mathewson manages the editorial and administrative processes within the program. She edits print stories, produces the HBCU 468 podcast and oversees scheduling and compliance.

Through the lens of sports, the fellows produce stories about race, class and culture and serve as campus correspondents for The Undefeated. There are six students in the inaugural class: Miniya Shabazz, Grambling State University; Kyla Wright, Hampton University; Paul Holston, Howard University; C. Isaiah Smalls, Morehouse College; Simone Benson, Morgan State University; Donovan Dooley, North Carolina A&T.

Simone Benson

Simone Benson
Rhoden Fellow
Simone Benson is a multimedia journalism major at Morgan State University. She reports on food access and social justice, and recently helped produce a documentary in Havana.
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Donovan Dooley

Donovan Dooley
Rhoden Fellow
Donovan Dooley is a Rhoden Fellow and a multimedia journalism major from Tuscaloosa, AL. He attends North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University.
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Paul Holston

Paul Holston
Rhoden Fellow
Paul Holston journalism major from Summerville, SC. He attends Howard University and served as 2016-17 editor-in-chief of The Hilltop.
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Miniya Shabazz

Miniya Shabazz
Rhoden Fellow
Miniya Shabazz is a Rhoden Fellow and a junior mass communication major from Laurel, MD. She attends Grambling State University and is a staff writer for The Gramblinite.
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C. Isaiah Smalls II

C. Isaiah Smalls II
Rhoden Fellow
C. Isaiah Smalls, II is a Rhoden Fellow and a graduate of Morehouse College from Lansing, Michigan. He studied Cinema, Television and Emerging Media Studies. He was Editor-in-Chief of The Maroon Tiger.
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Kyla Wright

Kyla Wright
Rhoden Fellow
Kyla L. Wright is a Rhoden Fellow and a sophomore journalism major, graphic design minor from Detroit. She attends Hampton University and writes for the Hampton Script.
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