News Media Scholarships

Two awards given in honor of former RTNDA Presidents Theodore Koop, Bruce Dennis, James McCulla, John Salisbury, Bruce Palmer, Dick Cheverton, Jim Byron, Ben Chatfield and John Hogan. Only currently enrolled college sophomores, juniors and seniors in good standing are eligible to apply.

George Foreman, television commentator and former heavyweight champion, created this $6,000 annual scholarship to honor Lyndon B. Johnson. It was developed for a broadcast journalism student at the University of Texas-Austin.

Abe Schechter, a true pioneer of radio news, became the first VP of news for NBC. He began his career in newspapers, then moved to radio. During WWII, he became senior PR 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, along with RTNDF trustee George Glazer, founded a PR firm that was subsequently sold to Hill & Knowlton. Schechter and his wife died in a car accident in 1970, and this $2,000 scholarship was set up in his memory.

An award established in early 1999 by N.S. Bienstock, Inc. owners, Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper. N.S. Bienstock has been the leading agency for representation of electronic journalists and reality-based programming for more than 35 years and is a long-time member of RTNDA. This award recognizes a promising minority journalist in radio or television news management.

RTNDF's first fellowship is named for a CBS News correspondent who was killed in a plane crash while on assignment in 1972. Her family and colleagues at CBS sent money in lieu of flowers to create a fund in her name, endowing a permanent $1,000 award for young, promising minority professionals in television or radio news.

A $1,000 award, created by the RTNDF board of trustees in honor of the names it bears. Barney and Vada served in WWII and both had illustrious military careers.

This $2,000 award was created to honor former news director and Medstar executive Jacque Minnotte, who died in 1993.

The Radio and Television News Directors Foundation Broadcast News Management Fellowship sends journalist of color to leadership and management training programs for news professionals. The RTNDF fellowship program allows senior broadcast news and mid-career professionals of color to develop or strengthen their management skills. Candidates may self-nominate or be nominated by a supervisor. Each candidate must submit an application form and a letter of recommendation from his or her supervisor. Candidates also are urged to work with the supervisor to determine what skills and training they need to advance. Fellowship winners will attend workshops on such topics as developing management competence, leadership and communication skills.

The Educator in the Newsroom Fellowships are an initiative by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation to enhance the quality of broadcast journalism education and to strengthen the caliber of the future broadcast news workforce. Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, this project places college journalism educators at local television and radio newsrooms for four weeks during their summer break. Each fellow is given a concrete work assignment and actively participates in daily newsroom operations. Check website for more information.

RTNDF offers 3-month internships sponsored by the Radio-Television Correspondents Association. These fully-paid internships are based in Washington, DC and are available for recent college graduates whose career objective is electronic journalism.

Scholarship winners must exhibit enthusiasm, aptitude and a sense of commitment for a career in some aspect of broadcast news. Judges will take into consideration a combination of academic achievement, financial need and broadcast career goals that embody the spirit of Clete Roberts and Kathryn Dettman. All candidates must currently be attending a college or university in one of the 13 APTRA states and be involved in some aspect of broadcast news. To be eligible for APTRA Scholarships, applicants must be a college student currently enrolled at a college or university in one of the 13 APTRA states -- Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. (Incoming freshman and high school seniors are not eligible) Applicants should be pursuing a career in broadcast news. Students enrolled at schools outside the 13 APTRA states are not eligible. Applicants may provide links to YouTube or other sites with examples of their work. Text material may be attached to the email. For more information, contact AP west broadcast editor Chris Havlik at 602/417-2405 or chavlik@ap.org

NPPA members provide support for this scholarship, especially members of the NPPF Booster Club made up of NPPA life members. The scholarship is for television photojournalism students. Open only to undergraduate students. Applicants must: •Be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. or Canada or have been accepted at a four-year institution to complete suspended studies. •Provide evidence of an aptitude for photojournalism as well as academic ability and financial need. •Provide grade point average as an indication that applicant can successfully complete college studies. Explain financial need. •Use the scholarship at the beginning of the next semester. Otherwise, it will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate candidate. •A letter of recommendation from a faculty member who knows your work is required.