About NPC Scholarships

The National Press Club, one of the oldest and most prestigious journalism organizations in the country, wants to recruit promising future journalists who will add to diversity in our newsrooms. So we’re helping to send talented prospects to college.

Each year, the Press Club awards the $20,000 Ellen Masin Persina/National Press Club scholarship to a high school senior interested in pursuing a career in journalism. The scholarship provides winners with a $5,000-a-year stipend for four years of undergraduate education.

The competition is open to high school seniors with a grade point average of 3.0 or better and who are preparing to enter college.

Applicants MUST provide the following information in TRIPLICATE (3 copies of all requested information). All information must be included in ONE PACKAGE, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS – newspaper articles MUST be reduced to 8 ½ by 11 sheets ONLY. FAILURE TO INCLUDE ALL INFORMATION IN TRIPLICATE, INCLUDING MULTIMEDIA FORMATS, WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.

• No more than five (5) work samples demonstrating an ongoing interest in journalism through work on a high school newspaper or other media. These may be print articles (reduced to 8 ½ by 11 size), or multimedia stories on tape, CD or DVD (three copies of all media).
• A one-page essay on why you are interested in becoming a journalist and how your unique perspectives, experiences and background will help bring diversity to newsrooms and broaden the way news organizations cover communities.
• Three letters of recommendations from persons who are not members of your family (MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE SAME PACKAGE).
• A copy of your high school transcript (MUST BE MAILED IN SAME PACKAGE ALONG WITH ALL OTHER INFORMATION).
• A completed signed copy of the Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) that you submitted.
• A letter of acceptance from the college/university of your choice or some documentation indicating where you have applied.
• OPTIONAL: A very brief statement on how this scholarship would affect your decision-making about your higher education.

Supporting the Scholarship Fund

Given in memory of the late Ellen Masin Persina, an award-winning journalist and Press Club member who was active on the Scholarship Committee, the scholarship is funded by her friends and family and by money raised through National Press Club activities.

The larger our fund grows, the more generous we can be in support of our students. Because of the large number of excellent applications we receive, we look forward to the day when we have enough money to award more than one scholarship a year consistently.

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to: Eric Friedheim National Journalism Library, c/o National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20045.

Past Winners

The 2007 scholarship recipients were Tasnim Shamma of Jamaica, N.Y., and Ahmed Mabruk of Austin, Texas.

Scholarship winners are currently enrolled in Princeton University, Harvard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Northwestern University, Southwest Texas University and Iowa State University.

Feldman Fellowship for Graduate Studies in Journalism

The National Press Club offers a one-year stipend of $5,000 to defray post-graduate tuition costs for graduate students in journalism.

The fellowship is named for Dennis Feldman, a club member who had a long career as a journalist and public relations adviser after putting himself through grad school at night.

How to Qualify

Applicants must:

• Have applied to or be enrolled in an accredited graduate program in journalism.

Forward THREE COPIES of the following:
NOTE: All information must be included in one package – newspaper articles must be reduced to 8.5 by 11 sheets.

• The NPC Scholarship/Fellowship application form.
• Three letters of recommendation (none may come from family members).
• A financial statement and/or copies of any documents you are providing to your university to qualify for financial assistance.
• A statement describing your course of study. Indicate whether you will attend full-time or part-time and when you will complete your program.
• A list of schools where you have applied, or the name of the graduate program you are attending.
• A brief biographical statement, explaining why you wish to obtain a graduate degree in journalism.
• OPTIONAL: Work samples including newspaper articles (no more than five; reduced to 8 1/2" by 11" size), audio or video tapes.
  The National Press Club realizes that some journalism grad school applicants are seeking to change careers and therefore may not have clips or tapes. You will not be penalized. But judges would like to see some work samples from applicants with journalism experience.

Applications must be postmarked by MAY 1.

All Applications should be mailed to:

General Manager's Office
National Press Club
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20045

Supporting the Scholarship Fund

Tax deductible donations for all scholarships are made to the
Friends of the National Journalism Library
529 14th Street
Washington, DC 20045

Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship

The National Press Club is pleased to announce that the late Richard G. Zimmerman, a member of long standing, has endowed a significant scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. Recipients will receive a non-renewal award of $5,000.

The Richard G. Zimmerman scholarship is open to all high school seniors, regardless of gender or race. Applicants must have a 3.0 grade average and plan to attend college this year.

Applicants MUST provide the following information in TRIPLICATE (3 copies of all requested information). All information must be included in ONE PACKAGE, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS. Newspaper articles must be reduced to 8 ½ by 11-inch sheets. FAILURE TO INCLUDE ALL INFORMATION IN TRIPLICATE, INCLUDING MULTIMEDIA FORMATS, WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.

• 3 work samples. These may be print articles (reduced to 8 ½ by 11 size) or multimedia stories on tape, CD or DVD.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons who are not members of your family.
• Your high school transcript.
• Completed, signed copy of the Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) that you submitted.
• A letter of acceptance from the college/university of your choice or some documentation indicating where you have applied.