New Lewis Scholarship opens to student journalists seeking D.C. internships
Aspiring journalists can apply now for a new scholarship that provides free housing and a monthly stipend to support student journalists of color who plan to intern at news media outlets in Washington, D.C., in spring 2023.
Applications are open for the National Press Club’s new Lewis Scholarship, which aims to improve accessibility to experiential learning opportunities in the nation’s capital for students of color. This scholarship, administered through the National Press Club Journalism Institute, will extend the Lewis family’s commitment to increasing representation in Washington, D.C., to include news media, adding to their work founding and operating the Washington Intern Student Housing program and the HBCU National Center.
The deadline to apply for the Spring 2023 Lewis Scholarship is Thursday, October 20. Application instructions, including eligibility requirements, are available online.
The $4,000 scholarship will be awarded each spring, summer, and fall semester to a student journalist of color who demonstrates a commitment to a journalism career in the nation’s capital. The recipient also will receive housing, valued at $6,000 per semester, through the Washington Intern Student Housing program.
The Lewis Scholarship program was established on April 15, 2022, by the family of former Washington correspondent Robert “Bob” D.G. Lewis to honor Mr. Lewis’s tenacity, dedication to investigative journalism, and involvement in leading journalism organizations.
“Experiential learning is so important to students gaining insight into the real world and workplaces outside of home and school”, said Jacqueline Lewis. “We’re so happy to create this program with the National Press Club to help young journalists who might not otherwise be able to gain access to internships in Washington, D.C. Getting people up on the ladder is the first step to a more representative workforce.”
The scholarship will be open to currently enrolled college students of color in their junior or senior year of undergraduate study who are at least 18 years old and have at least a 3.0 grade-point average. Graduating seniors may apply for this scholarship if their internship takes place in the semester immediately following graduation.
Students must independently secure an on-site journalism internship in Washington, D.C., to take place during the semester they would receive the scholarship. If applying for a spring or fall scholarship, scholarship recipients also must be enrolled in online classes at their college or university during their time in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Lewis was a longtime Washington correspondent for Michigan’s Booth newspaper chain who retired as a senior editor at Newhouse. Lewis served as chairman of the National Press Club’s Board of Governors from 1975 to 1977. He was president of the Society of Professional Journalists from 1985 to 1986 and chairman of its Freedom of Information Committee from 1978 to 1983.
Founded in 1908, The National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.
The National Press Club Journalism Institute, the club’s non-profit affiliate, promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement.
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For information on National Press Club scholarships, visit our website or email the National Press Club Journalism Institute at [email protected].