National Press Club

National Press Club scholarship applications open for journalism students

Beth Francesco

February 12, 2022

Aspiring journalists can apply now for any of four National Press Club scholarships for students committed to a career in journalism. 

Applications are open for each of the four scholarships offered in 2022, valued at $50,000 total. The deadline for applying is 5 p.m. ET Friday, March 18.

  • The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo is a $5,000 scholarship awarded to a high school senior. The purpose of the scholarship, named for the former executive director of the NPC Journalism Institute, is to recruit promising future journalists who will bring diversity to American journalism. The award can be renewed for up to three years at $5,000 per year.

  • The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $5,000 named for a long-time Club member who died in 2008 and endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. 

  • The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship, established in 2021, supports diversity within the field of broadcast journalism while honoring longtime radio journalist Vernon, a former Club member. The scholarship is $5,000 per year awarded to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism. The award can be renewed up to three years. The award is open to any student at any stage in their career pursuing an education in broadcast journalism.

  • The Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship recognizes a student pursuing graduate studies in journalism with a one-time stipend of $5,000 to help defray tuition costs.

The Club's scholarship program, administered by the nonprofit NPC Journalism Institute, has impacted the careers of dozens of journalists-in-training through its years.  

"I can’t thank the National Press Club enough. Since 2018, I’ve watched my writing, reporting, pitching and story sense improve tenfold,” said Tony Madden, a University of Missouri student who received the Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo in 2018.

Since receiving the scholarship, Madden has interned for Traklife Media Group, based in Los Angeles and earned numerous awards.

“Now in my second to last semester before graduation, I’ve landed a role as Culture Editor for Vox Magazine, Columbia’s city magazine,” Madden said. “Next year, I plan to move to Nashville and focus on the arts and culture journalism I’ve come to love in my time at the Missouri School of Journalism. None of this could have come without the help of the Press Club.”