O’Brien Fellows complete, during nine-month fellowships over two academic semesters, in-depth reporting projects of their choosing on a topic of state, regional, national, or international interest. Since the O’Brien Fellowship began in 2013, most Fellows have worked from a home base in the O’Brien newsroom in the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. O’Brien accepts remote, non-residential applications, but gives extra weight in the selection process to applicants ready to reside in Milwaukee during the Fellowship.