Marieli Rowe Innovation in Media Literacy Education Award
Background: This media literacy education award is created in recognition of Marieli Rowe’s future-oriented vision, always looking at what is coming over the horizon, what is the next ‘mountain to climb.’ It was established in 2021 in honor of NTC’s longtime Executive Director Journal Editor, whose work in the field of media literacy spanned six decades. Marieli created children’s film festivals in the 1960s, organized a satellite interconnect with students in 1981, and grew an organizational newsletter in the 1970s into an internationally renowned journal in the 1990s to the present day. Her passion for hiking and mountain climbing carried over into her work. She never stopped asking “Where to next?”
Description: This award is for a work in progress or in the planning stages that demonstrates innovative critical thinking and pushes the media literacy education field forward by putting ideas into action or connecting people and ideas in new ways. Experimentation and exploration (rather than guaranteed success) are strongly encouraged.
Eligibility: This award is open to individuals, a team of collaborators, or organizations who answer the question, “Where to Next for Media Literacy?”. Applicants could be media producers, creators, journalists, educators, researchers, and/or students. Applicants are encouraged to focus on connecting media literacy to diverse audiences, other fields of study, or to divergent ideas.
As an international award, we respect and encourage applications from around the globe. Although there is no expectation that the proposed work including any products are in English, the application, presentation, and showcase will be in English. We will work with applicants to overcome any language barriers to the best of our abilities. Emerging and historically marginalized professionals/researchers/students are highly encouraged to apply.
Past recipients are welcome to apply for new projects. We will not consider applications for projects already funded by the Marieli Rowe Innovation in Media Literacy Education Award.
2026 Application timeline:
- Application Deadline December 1st, 2025.
- Notify and announce the recipients January 5th, 2026
- Presentation of Award June 4-6, 2026 at the IMLRS Symposium in Rome, Italy.
- Showcase of progress to be planned within the following 12-24 months
Application process:
The award is given every two years with applications taken via an online form. The form will require:
- Applicant(s) name and contact information.
- A 500-word proposal that 1) describes the project, 2) indicates how it aligns with the judging criteria, 3) has an approximate timeline that includes plans for sharing results (and/or failures!) 12-24 months after receiving the award.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae for all applicants.
- The name and contact details of one professional reference.
Judging process:
The awards committee of the International Council for Media Literacy will judge the nominations. The committee reserves the right to not give the award should there be no nomination that merits it. The committee may choose more than one award and up to four awardees in each cycle.
Judging criteria: The committee is looking for media literacy education work that:
- demonstrates new ideas being put into action and/or connecting people and ideas in new ways;
- promotes media literacy education in critical, engaging, and systemic ways;
- aims to create conscientious, caring citizens in a more just and equitable global society.
Please see past recipient projects on our website.
Award amount: We generally provide 1 to 4 awards per cycle, with award amounts varying from $250 to $2000.
Showcase of the results of the awardee’s work can be done in any one of the following ways:
- Website
- Cafe conversation
- Conference presentation
- Video production
- Publication
- Performance/art piece
- Other creative format
The awardee(s) agrees to allow IC4ML to publish or present this showcase on our website and in promotional materials related to this award.
About Marieli Rowe (1926-2020)
Marieli was a force like no other and has shaped our organization in countless ways. Below we share some content that gives a small sense of just how big a life she lived, and how her passion for media literacy became our mission.
This new era starts with our new name, International Council for Media Literacy (IC4ML). Honoring the rich heritage of our organization, from its beginnings as the American Council for Better Broadcasts from 1953-1983 and as the National Telemedia Council from 1983-2020, we will continue to bridge academia to action through our Journal of Media Literacy. We invite you to explore our history and join us in building a foundation for a robust, integrated, worldwide media literacy movement that impacts education in the future in expanded, engaging, and systemic ways.
A Grand Pioneer
IC4ML President Belinha De Abreu, PhD., honors Marieli
The Spirit of Marieli
by Jason Smith, Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters
Published Memorial
via legacy.com
2011 Interview with the Center for Media Literacy
by Dee Morgenthaler and Tessa Jolls
