Journalism Scholarships
The major of journalism is concerned with how to access information and how to share those findings with an audience through the use of tools ranging from the written word to digital video. In other words, journalism is about communication. Securing a journalism scholarship will also rely heavily on your ability to communicate, making this pursuit an excellent training exercise for your future vocation.
Typical courses found in this major include investigative reporting, media ethics, photojournalism, copyediting, multimedia tools and writing for digital media. A healthy amount of liberal arts and humanities electives help round out your curriculum. Many programs feature an internship as a degree requirement. In a journalism internship you'll work as a junior reporter in an actual media organization. This experience should provide real-world experience and may also lead to establishing media contacts you can use in your career.
Employment prospects for this major are varied. On the one hand, the rise of the Internet has meant a decline in the popularity of traditional print media. At the same time, the increasing use of the Internet and other technological developments (smart phones, tablets) has resulted in new demands for up-to-the-minute, real-time news delivery. This has resulted in new career opportunities across a greater range of media. Obviously, job prospects will be best for those that are electronically savvy. Knowledge of topics such as web development and social media strategy may help you stand out from your peers.
When considering journalism degree programs, you'll want to closely examine the opportunities available with student media. Does the institution have a school newspaper, radio station and website? When can journalism majors begin contributing to them? Are they independently run by the student body or is there faculty supervision?
To find out more about the world of journalism scholarships explore the links below.
Mike Reynolds Scholarship
Mike Reynolds, who died in 1988 of a brain tumor at age 45, was assignment editor and then managing editor at KCCI-TV in Des Moines, IA. Trustees of the fund to honor his memory require applicants for this award to be enrolled in journalism school and have good writing ability, excellent grades, a dedication to the news business, strong interest in pursuing a career in electronic journalism and a demonstrated need for financial assistance. Applicants should list media-related jobs held and contributions made to funding their own education. The recipient of the Mike Reynolds Journalism Scholarship will receive $1,000 and an invitation to the Excellence in Journalism conference.
MIKE REYNOLDS JOURNALSIM SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANT CRITERIA:
Must be officially enrolled in college and have at least one full academic year remaining.
Must be a fully enrolled college sophomore or higher to receive scholarship.
Must apply for only one scholarship.
May be enrolled in any major so long as your intent is a career in electronic journalism.
Abe Schechter Graduate Scholarship
Abe Schechter, a true pioneer of radio news, became the first vice president of news for NBC. He began his career in newspapers, then moved to radio. During World War II, he became senior public relations officer for General MacArthur. He eventually returned to NBC where he helped create the Today show. From there, he became part owner of the Mutual Broadcasting System. In the 1960s Schechter founded a PR firm that he and his business partner, George Glazer, subsequently sold to Hill & Knowlton. Schechter and his wife died in a car accident in 1989. Glazer, a long-time board member of RTNDF and founder of the First Amendment Banquet, soon after Schechter’s death began raising money for a $2000 scholarship in his name.
ABE SCHECHTER GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANT CRITERIA:
Must be officially enrolled in a graduate program.
Must apply for only one scholarship.
May be enrolled in any major so long as your intent is a career in electronic journalism.
Taylor/Blakeslee University Fellowships
The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing offers fellowships of $5,000 to both professional journalists and students of outstanding ability who have been accepted for enrollment in graduate-level programs in science writing.
Journalists with at least two years of mass media experience will receive preferential treatment in the selection process. Students must have undergraduate degrees in science or journalism and must convince the CASW selection committee of their ability to pursue a career in writing science for the general public. Fellows may attend school either full-time or part-time. Applicants should plan to attend a U.S. institution and should be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Science writing is here defined as writing about science, medicine, health, technology, and the environment for the general public via the mass media. Fellowships are not available to those pursuing or intending to pursue careers in public relations, public information, or technical writing.
The fellowships are underwritten by a grant from the Brinson Foundation, a Chicago-based philanthropic organization devoted to supporting educational, public health and scientific research programs, and by funds derived from a special bequest to CASW from the American Tentative Society, which, for three decades, played an important role in promoting public understanding of science and the scientific process. The fellowships honor the late Rennie Taylor, a science writer for Associated Press, whose estate provided funds for the establishment of ATS, and Alton Blakeslee, former science editor of Associated Press, who served as its longtime president.
Kyutaro & Yasuo Abiko Memorial Scholarship
National JACL membership is required to be considered for a JACL scholarship. Membership must be held by the applicant or applicant's parents only. Extended family National JACL membership is a requirement to be considered for a JACL scholarship. Membership must be held by the applicant or applicant's parents only. Extended family ties do not apply for this requirement. Student memberships are available. For more information about membership categories, please contact the JACL Membership Department at National Headquarters. Applicants must also be planning to attend a college, university, trade school, business school or any institution of higher learning at the undergraduate school level in the upcoming fall. Preference for this award will be given to student with an interest in journalism or agriculture.
Lou & Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship
Louis F. Prato has dedicated more than 30 years to RTDNA and RTDNF. Lou served as secretary of the RTDNF Board of Trustees, and for more than 20 years he was treasurer of the RTDNA Board of Directors.
Lou has worked as a news director, a journalism professor, a consultant, and Director of the Penn State All Sports Museum. Lou and his wife Carole live near his alma mater, Penn State University. He is the author of The Penn State Football Encyclopedia.
In recognition of his service to RTDNA and RTDNF, and his commitment to excellence in journalism, the $1000 Lou and Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship was established in 2001. It is awarded to a journalism student who brings Lou's journalism values to covering sports.
Must be officially enrolled in college and have at least one full academic year remaining.
Must be a fully enrolled college sophomore or higher to receive scholarship.
Must apply for only one scholarship.
May be enrolled in any major so long as your intent is a career in electronic journalism.
Joel Garcia Memorial Scholarship
The Joel Garcia Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually to qualified Latino students who are planning to pursue a career in journalism. The scholarships, which range from $500 to $2,000 per student, are based on several criteria including commitment to the field of journalism, scholastic achievement, community awareness and financial need. Students must be enrolled full-time for the entire academic year, and must be a California resident or attend an accredited college or university in California. Open to graduate students.
Congressional Research Grants
The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying Congress. Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public administration or American studies, and journalists are among those eligible. The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus to apply and awards a significant portion of the funds for dissertation research. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the United States.
The grants program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. Organizations are not eligible. Research teams of two or more individuals are eligible. No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed against a Congressional Research Grant.
What kind of research projects are eligible for consideration?
The Center’s first interest is to fund the study of the leadership in the Congress, both House and Senate. Topics could include external factors shaping the exercise of congressional leadership, institutional conditions affecting it, resources and techniques used by leaders, or the prospects for change or continuity in the patterns of leadership. In addition, The Center invites proposals about congressional procedures, such as committee operation or mechanisms for institutional change, and Congress and the electoral process.
The Center also encourages proposals that link Congress and congressional leadership with the creation, implementation, and oversight of public policy. Proposals must demonstrate that Congress, not the specific policy, is the central research interest.
See website for more information.
Journalism Awards Program
The Journalism Awards Program is presented annually under the auspices of the Association of Journalism and Mass Communication (ASJMC) with full-funding by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. In order to enter the writing, photojournalism and/or broadcast news competition, a student must be an undergraduate journalism major currently enrolled in one of 107 accredited colleges or universities that are members of ASJMC. The student must be actively involved in campus media and published articles, photographs or has produced newscasts that can be submitted in our monthly competitions.
Newhouse Scholarship Program
Several $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree in journalism and a career in print journalism. While the scholarship is open to all students, AAJA especially encourages applicants from historically underrepresented Asian Pacific American groups, including Vietnamese, Cambodians, Hmong and other Southeast Asians, South Asians, and Pacific Islanders. Newhouse Scholarship winners will be eligible for Summer internships with a Newhouse publication. Students are generally selected based on the following criteria: - commitment to the field of journalism - sensitivity to Asian American issues as demonstrated by community involvement - journalistic ability - scholastic ability - financial need
Minoru Yasui Memorial Scholarship for Broadcast
A civil rights advocate and attorney, Minoru Yasui was one of three Nisei who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This $1,000 scholarship is given to a promising Asian male broadcaster. Students are generally selected based on the following criteria: - commitment to the field of journalism - sensitivity to Asian American issues as demonstrated by community involvement - journalistic ability - scholastic ability - financial need
National AAJA Internship Grant
This $1,000 grant is given to a student working as an intern at a news organization. Students are generally selected based on the following criteria: - commitment to the field of journalism - sensitivity to Asian American issues as demonstrated by community involvement - journalistic ability - scholastic ability - financial need
Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellowship
This award was created to honor former news director and Medstar executive Jacque Minnotte, who died in 1993. This fellowship recognizes excellence in health or medical television and radio reporting. RTNDF will award a $2,000 cash fellowship to a journalist in radio and television with fewer than 10 years of experience.
In addition to the $2,000 award, winners of the Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellowship are invited to attend the Excellence in Journalism conference.
FELLOWSHIP APPLICANT CRITERIA:
May only apply for one fellowship
Past fellowship winners may not apply for a second RTDNF fellowship
Must have fewer than 10 years as a professional journalist
REQUIRED ITEMS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:
1. A completed application form submitted online only.
2. A cover letter, submitted with the online application including these topics:
Discuss your current and past journalism experience.
Describe how you would use the funds if you were to receive the fellowship.
Discuss your choice to pursue a career in electronic journalism.
Include in your cover letter 3-5 links to your best and most relevant work samples to the scholarship for which you are applying. Work samples should be broadcast (television/radio) or online news pieces. Entrants are encouraged to upload their work samples to sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Sound Cloud and other platforms, then inlude links to these samples in the cover letter. Entrants are also encouraged to provide a link to their personal website, if this is available, or social media platforms if they are used professionally. Please discuss your role in each of the pieces (producer, editor, reporter, etc).
3. A letter of recommendation from your news manager, submitted with online application. If you are a news manager, include a letter from your general manager.
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