Blade Foundation names American University student fellow to cover LGBTQ issues in Delaware

The Blade Foundation awarded its ninth journalism fellowship to American University student Thomas Weaverling, according to the Washington Blade. Weaverling will spend this summer reporting on LGBTQ issues in Delaware under the fellowship, the outlet reported on May 13, 2026.

The fellowship links a Washington, D.C.-based LGBTQ news nonprofit and a locally enrolled student, reinforcing the city’s role as a training ground for journalists who go on to cover regional and national LGBT-related stories. American University is based in northwest Washington, and the Blade and its foundation operate out of the District.

About the fellowship

The Blade Foundation created the journalism fellowship to give emerging reporters practical reporting experience on LGBTQ topics, per the Washington Blade. This is the program’s ninth recipient, signaling it has been a recurring part of the foundation’s effort to support early-career newsroom talent. The fellowship places a student journalist in a specific reporting assignment for a set period; Weaverling’s assignment will focus on communities and policy issues in Delaware.

Why this matters for local news and training

For Washington, D.C., the award underscores how local institutions—universities and nonprofit news organizations—feed talent into regional reporting ecosystems. The Blade Foundation’s fellowship provides a pathway for a D.C.-based student to gain bylines and beat experience outside the metropolitan core, while remaining connected to D.C.-rooted editorial networks and mentorship.

The fellowship also highlights continuing investment by specialized outlets in sustained coverage of LGBTQ communities, an area often underserved by general-interest newsrooms. Assigning an AU student to Delaware puts a dedicated reporter on the ground for community, legal and policy developments that might otherwise receive limited attention.

Next steps for the fellow and the foundation

Weaverling is expected to begin reporting this summer; his dispatches will appear through the Washington Blade as part of the fellowship program, the Blade reported. The Blade Foundation’s decision to support another fellow signals continued financial backing for early-career reporters focusing on LGBTQ issues.

Readers can expect to see reporting from Weaverling in the coming months and updates from the Blade Foundation about the fellowship’s work and future recipients.