Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards (Organized first by amount and then alphabetically) Feb. 1 is the deadline for all awards and scholarships, unless otherwise designated. Students should apply by using the school's general scholarship application, unless otherwise noted.
Hearst Contest
Amount: Varies
Special consideration: Electronic communication; news-editorial journalism; visual communication
The Journalism Awards Program of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation is the most prestigious national contest open to undergraduate journalism and mass communication majors. Often called the Pulitzers of college journalism, awards are given for monthly competitions in writing, radio and TV journalism, and photojournalism — and national championships in May. Prizes of up to $2,000 are awarded for first place in each competition and even bigger awards for the national champions. Senior Associate Dean Dulcie Straughan chairs the selection committee. Assistant professor Andy Bechtel oversees the writing entries. Associate professor Pat Davison oversees the photojournalism entries. Associate professor Charlie Tuggle oversees the radio and television entries. Deadlines vary. See the individual professors for details. Minority Presence Grant Program — General Program
Amount: Varies
Special consideration: Minorities
The University will continue to fund the Minority Presence Grant Program — General Program, Part I and Part II. The University will allocate this money to historically white and historically black institutions to aid them in recruiting financially needy N.C. students who would be minority presence students at the respective institutions. These funds enable the institutions to offer relatively more aid for minority presence students in the form of grants rather than loans. General Program Part I includes funds for minority presence grants for students attending the North Carolina Central University School of Law. General Program Part II consists of grant funds for Native Americans, Hispanics and Asians.
The Don and Barbara Curtis Excellence Fund for Extracurricular Student Activities
Amount: Varies
Special consideration: Extracurricular activities
Deadline: Oct. & Feb.
Application (PDF)
The Don and Barbara Curtis Excellence Fund for Extracurricular Student Activities supports undergraduate majors in the School who participate in meaningful out-of-class activities that will help them in their mass communication careers. Click here for a printable application. The fund will provide about $25,000 a year to support students.
Any student in the School may apply for funding independently or as a member of a student organization. If an application is selected to receive funding, the amount will correspond to the nature of the proposal.
Examples of meaningful extracurricular activities include developing award-winning media projects; attending national and regional competitions or meetings; or participating in the School's annual fall- and spring-break trips to major U.S. cities to meet and gain insights from professional communicators.
Fred Hutchison Travel Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Awarded to students to help defray expenses associated with travel to foreign countries for courses. Awarded to hardship cases and if funds are available. Send a letter outlining the course, the need and the expenses to Senior Associate Dean Dulcie Straughan at
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. Deadline March 1 for summer and fall courses.
Charles Kuralt Fellowship in International Broadcasting
Amount: Varies
Special consideration: Electronic communication
Deadline: Oct. 1
Application: See Senior Associate Dean Dulcie Straughan.
This one-year, paid fellowship at Voice of America is awarded to a recent School graduate, bachelor's or master's degree recipient, who excelled in electronic communication. Applicants will take a VOA newswriting examination and be interviewed by VOA executives. The winner will work as a reporter or producer at the VOA in Washington. The fellowship is sponsored by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. government broadcasting except military programming. VOA created the award to honor the memory of the UNC-Chapel Hill graduate who was one of America's most beloved journalists.
Peter DeWitt Pruden and Phyllis Harrill Pruden Scholarship
Amount: $10,000
Special consideration: Students from North Carolina, Tennessee or Virginia
This scholarship was established by the Prudens to help students reach their educational goals and to build something that will still be helping students far into the future. Preference goes to students from Virginia, Tennessee or North Carolina with strong character, excellent academic performance and financial need.
James F. Hurley III Bicentennial Merit Scholarship
Amount: $7,250
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism
This scholarship honors the long-time publisher of The Salisbury Post who became well known as an independent and outstanding journalist and community leader. Preference is given to students with a newspaper career interest.
Robert Pittman Scholarship-Internship
Amount: $7,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; internship at St. Petersburg Times
This scholarship was created in 1994 by the St. Petersburg Times in Florida to honor Robert Pittman, editorials editor for that newspaper from 1964 to 1991. Pittman received his master's degree from the School in 1957. The award includes a summer internship at the Times. Preference is given to a student with an interest in newspapers. Students apply by Oct. 1 to Jay Eubank, the school's Director of Career Services.
Victoria M. Gardner Scholarship
Amount: $5,500
Special consideration: Families, children and medical issues
This scholarship was established by Randy Gardner to honor his wife, Victoria M. Gardner. They are parents of two School alumni: Paul (1986) and Beth Gardner Braxton (1988). It is awarded to a student interested in families, children and medical issues.
Eugene L. Roberts Jr. Prize
Amount: $5,500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism
Deadline: Feb. 1
Click here for a printable application (Word doc).
This prize honors a 1954 School graduate who achieved national recognition as the renowned editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The award goes to an undergraduate interested in a career in print journalism who proposes the best idea for a Gene Roberts-type story: one that is dedicated to the untold event that oozes instead of breaks; to the story that reveals, not repeats; to the reporter who zigs instead of zags; to the truth, as opposed to the facts; to the forest, not just the trees. The student must be returning to the School for at least one semester when he or she will research and write the story in JOMC 296, "Independent Study," supervised by a faculty member for three credits.
Jim Batten Community Newspaper Internship
Amount: $5,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; community journalism; internship
Honors the memory of James Allen Batten, editor of several N.C. newspapers and owner of Emerald Isle Realty, one of the largest real estate agencies in the state. Details are available from Career Services Director Jay Eubank. Tucker Family Scholarship
Amount: $5,000
Special consideration: print or broadcast
Established by Bryan Hill Tucker, a 1993 graduate of the School, and Rachael Knott Tucker, a 1996 graduate of UNC’s Kenan Flagler Business School, to help students pursue their desired careers after graduation without financial burden of student loans. Preference to students in print or broadcast.
Peggy Allen Community Newspaper Internship Amount: $4,500
Special consideration: News-editorial with an interest in community journalism
Awarded to one student to help pay expense of an internship at a N.C. community newspaper. Lecturer Jock Lauterer coordinates.
Ameel J. Fisher Scholarship
Amount: $4,000
These scholarships were established by Ann Fisher to honor the memory of her husband, who died in 1985. A 1931 graduate of the School, he was a reporter and editor with United Press, and from 1952 to 1976 he was a correspondent, writer and producer with UPI Television News. James Davis Scholarship
Amount: $4,000
Special consideration: N.C. history; N.C. natives
This scholarship honors North Carolina's first printer, newspaper publisher and book publisher. Preference is given to N.C. natives with a demonstrated commitment to the study of state history.
Robin Clark Experience
Amount: $3,500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism
Deadline: Feb. 1
Click here for a printable application (Word doc).
This award was created as a memorial to a School alumnus and former reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer who was killed in an automobile accident in 1995. The award is to be used to learn as Robin did — by exploring, traveling and meeting people. M.S. Van Hecke Award
Amount: $3,250
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; business reporting; includes internship
Deadline: Oct.1
Application available in the School office.
This award honors M.S. Van Hecke, a 1948 graduate of the School and former business reporter for The Charlotte Observer. Awarded to returning undergraduate or graduate students interested in a career in business reporting. One student will be awarded an internship on the business desk of The Charlotte Observer, and the other will be awarded a business internship at Bloomberg Business News. Both students must enroll in JOMC 452, "Business Reporting," before doing the internships.
Louis M. Connor Jr. Scholarship
Amount: $3,000
Special consideration: Public relations
This scholarship was established with a bequest from Louis Connor. A 1942 graduate of the School, he worked in community relations and fund-raising in Dallas. Preference is given to public relations students.
Kathryn M. Cronin Scholarship
Amount: $3,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; medical journalism
Deadline: March 1
Application: See Professor Tom Linden.
This scholarship is for a graduate or undergraduate student with a stated intention to pursue a career in medical journalism. The minimum requirements are demonstrated financial need and 3.0 GPA for undergraduates.
Quincy Sharpe Mills Scholarships
Amount: $3,000
Special consideration: Minority and disadvantaged students
These scholarships were endowed by the late Mrs. Nancy Sharpe Mills in memory of her son, Quincy Sharpe Mills, a journalist killed in France in World War I. Preference is given to minority and disadvantaged students.
C.A. “Pete” McKnight Scholarship Amount: $2,500 Honors the memory of a former editor of the Charlotte Observer and former project director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
Jim and Pat Thacker Sports Communication Internship
Amount: $2,500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; sports communication; internship
Application (PDF)
Honors the memory of Jim Thacker, former sports broadcaster, and his wife. The money is intended to pay expenses for a student who has secured a summer internship in sports communication. Details are available from Professor John Sweeney.
School of Journalism and Mass Communication Award in Documentary Photojournalism
Amount: Up to $2,500
Special consideration: Visual communication; photojournalism
Deadline: Feb. 1
Application: Submit the following information, not handwritten, to assistant professor Laura Ruel: a letter of application describing the project, including its importance, methodology and objectives; budget for supplies, travel and other expenses; portfolio; and résumé.
This award goes to a photojournalism student or students to conduct fieldwork for documentary still photography projects. Applicants must be majors or pre-majors (undergraduate and graduate students are eligible) or must have graduated as majors during the school year. They must have completed at least one photojournalism course in the School before applying.
Bob Quincy Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
This scholarship honors the memory of Bob Quincy, former sports editor of the Charlotte News, sports information director at UNC-Chapel Hill and sports columnist for The Charlotte Observer.
Reese Felts Scholarships
Amount: $2,500
Special consideration: Electronic communication
These scholarships honor a 1952 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate who worked in broadcast journalism for nearly 30 years. Westy Fenhagen Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Special consideration: International student Honors the memory of Westy Fenhagen, a 1946 graduate of the School and former editor of publications for the University’s Alumni Association. He also spent 25 years in the U.S. diplomatic corps. Awarded to an international student, with preference to a student from Africa.
Edward Jackson International Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism, international travel
Deadline: Feb. 1
Click here for a printable application (Word doc).
This scholarship honors Ed Jackson, a veteran foreign correspondent for United Press International and Time magazine. It is given annually to a news-editorial undergraduate, preferably from North Carolina, to travel to another country to learn about its politics, culture and mass media by working there. Glenn Keever Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
This scholarship was established by the N.C. Association of Educators to honor Keever's 25 years of service to that association.
Stephen Gates Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Honors the memory of the School graduate whose career as a sports broadcaster was cut tragically short.
L.C. Gifford Distinguished Journalism Scholarships
Amount: $2,000
These scholarships honor the memory of Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Gifford, former publishers of the Hickory Daily Record. The Gifford family provided scholarships for many UNC-Chapel Hill journalism students and supported the journalism program at Hickory High School.
Knight Foundation Distinguished Journalism Scholarships
Amount: $2,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism
The Knight Foundation endows these scholarships for news-editorial students.
Erwin Potts Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; Latino students
This scholarship was made possible by an endowment from McClatchy Newspapers to honor the distinguished graduate of the School who was chairman and CEO of McClatchy Newspapers and is a member of the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame. Preference is given to Latino students studying newspaper journalism.
Marjorie Usher Ragan Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; women
The honoree had a distinguished journalism career with several N.C. newspapers, the Washington Times-Herald and radio station WRAL. For nearly 20 years, she was associate editor of the award-winning Southern Pines newspaper, The Pilot, which she and her husband purchased in 1969. Preference is given to women with a career interest in print journalism. David Julian Whichard Scholarships
Amount: $2,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; N.C. residents
These scholarships were made possible by an endowment from the Whichard family, which owns the Daily Reflector in Greenville, N.C., to honor the former publisher of the paper. Preference is given to N.C. residents in the news-editorial sequence.
Robert Winchester Dodson Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
This scholarship honors the memory of a 1947 graduate of the School who was a reporter at the Ledger-Star in Norfolk, Va., from 1952 to 1980. N.C. Press Association-N.C. Press Services Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Special consideration: Advertising; rising junior
This scholarship was endowed by those organizations to encourage and support students from North Carolina interested in newspaper advertising. Renewable as the Hal Tanner Sr. Scholarship. It is awarded to a rising junior in the advertising sequence.
Hal Tanner Jr. Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Special consideration: Advertising; rising senior
This scholarship was endowed by the N.C. Press Association and N.C. Press Services and enriched by the Tanner family to honor the memory of the former publisher of the Goldsboro News-Argus. It is awarded to the previous year's winner of the N.C. Press Association-N.C. Press Services Scholarship.
John W. Harden Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Special consideration: Public relations
This scholarship honors the memory of the man who was known as the "father of public relations in North Carolina." Preference is given to students in the public relations sequence.
Paul Green Houston Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism
This scholarship honors a 1963 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill who was a long-time reporter for the Los Angeles Times.
Gene Jackson Scholarship
Amount: $1,250
The scholarship honors a graduate of the School who had a distinguished career in newspapers and worked in the UNC-Chapel Hill Development Office until 1989.
AT&T Business Internship Award
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; business journalism; includes internship
Awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student interested in business journalism. To be eligible for this award, the student must have arranged a business journalism internship. Preference given to students from the AT&T service area. Rick Brewer Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Electronic communication; public relations; sports journalism
This scholarship honors the long-time director of sports information at UNC-Chapel Hill. It is awarded to a student with a keen interest in pursuing a career in sports journalism, broadcasting or public relations.
O.J. "Skipper" Coffin Award to the Outstanding Graduating Senior in News-Editorial Journalism
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; graduating senior
This award goes to the outstanding graduating senior in the news-editorial sequence. The added amount for this award was made possible by an endowment from James F. Hurley III. It honors the memory of the professor and head of the journalism program from 1926 to 1953.
Vivian Edmonds Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Promote diversity
These scholarships honor the publisher of The Carolina Times in Durham, who in 1988 became the first black honoree in the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame. It is for sophomores.
Molly McKay Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Religion
Honors the memory of a student in the School who was killed in an automobile accident in 2000. Preference is given to students interested in religion. Alexander Morisey Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Promote diversity
These scholarships honor the memory of the black N.C. native who had an outstanding career in newspapers and public relations. They are for first-year students. Apply to Senior Associate Dean Dulcie Straughan by Aug. 15. WKIX Alumni Association Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Electronic communication
Created in 2002 by former employees of radio station WKIX in Raleigh. It is awarded to a student in the electronic communication sequence.
WTVD Endowment Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Special consideration: Promote diversity; N.C. residents
This scholarship honors the memory of three men — Jim Lane, Rick Sherrill and Bart Smith — who were killed in a helicopter crash in 1991 while on assignment for Durham television station WTVD. Preference is given to students from North Carolina with a B average.
John Robert Bittner Award to the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Electronic Communication
Amount: $750
Special consideration: Electronic communication; graduating senior
First given in 1989, this award goes to the outstanding graduating senior in the electronic communication sequence. Elton Casey Scholarship
Amount: $750
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; sports journalism; Orange and Durham county residents
This scholarship honors the memory of a long-time Durham and Orange County journalist who died in 1994. It is given to a student who is interested in pursuing a career in sports journalism, with preference given to students from Orange or Durham counties.
H.C. and Lois Cranford Award to the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Public Relations
Amount: $750
Special consideration: Public relations; graduating senior
This award goes to the outstanding graduating senior in the public relations sequence. Susan Cranford Ross and Kathryn Cranford Raby created it in 1994 to honor their parents. A. C. Snow Scholarship
Amount: $750
Special consideration: News-editorial
Named for the News & Observer columnist who was a longtime editor and columnist for The Raleigh Times. It goes to a news-editorial student with an interest in grammar. Edward Heywood Megson Scholarship
Amount: $750
Special consideration:
This scholarship was established by Jeanne C. Tucker to honor the memory of her late husband, a 1940 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill who was killed in the South Pacific in 1944.
Larry and Carolyn Keith Award for Sports Photography
Amount: $625
Special consideration: Visual communication; sports photography
Deadline: Feb. 1
Click here for a printable application (Word doc).
Established with a gift from Larry Keith, a 1969 graduate of the School, and his wife Carolyn, this award are given to the School's top undergraduate or graduate student in sports photography.
Larry and Carolyn Keith Award for Sports Writing
Amount: $625
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; sports writing
Deadline: Feb. 1
Click here for a printable application (Word doc).
Established in 1992 with a gift from Larry Keith, a 1969 graduate of the School, and his wife, Carolyn, this award is given to the School's top undergraduate or graduate students in sports writing.
Floyd S. Alford Jr. Scholarship
Amount: $500
This scholarship honors the memory of a School alumnus who distinguished himself as a newspaper executive in North Carolina. It recognizes a student who demonstrates outstanding journalistic talent and a strong commitment to improving the community through honest and accurate work. Phillip Alston Scholarship Amount: $500 Established by Joel and Edith Bourne of Tarboro to honor their uncle, a 1932 graduate of the School.
Tom Bost Scholarship
Amount: $500
This scholarship honors the memory of the School alumnus who served as the University's first Director of Alumni Annual Giving from 1953 to 1979.
Joy Gibson Scholarship
Amount: $500
Special consideration:
Professors Rhonda Gibson and Joe Bob Hester created this scholarship to honor the memory of her mother. John L. Greene Award
Amount: $500
Special consideration: Electronic communication; junior or senior
Established in 1992, this award honors John Greene, a 1966 graduate of the School and former general manager of WRAL-TV in Raleigh. It is given to an excellent junior or senior in the electronic communication sequence.
Peter Lars Jacobson Award
Amount: $500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism; medical journalism
Deadline: Feb. 1
Application: Submit story or stories with name, address, telephone number and class year to Professor Tom Linden.
This award honors Dr. Peter Jacobson, a neurologist who was instrumental in creating the medical journalism program in the School. It is awarded annually to the journalism and mass communication student who writes the best medical story.
Jeff MacNelly Award
Amount: $500
Special consideration: News-editorial journalism or political cartooning
This award goes to an undergraduate student who has shown excellence in writing or political cartooning. It was made possible by a generous gift from MacNelly, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist who attended UNC-Chapel Hill and worked for The Chapel Hill Weekly. Additional gifts were received as memorials after MacNelly died in 2000.
Raleigh Mann Scholarship
Amount: $500
This scholarship honors the former faculty member, who taught in the School from 1978 to 2000.
Joseph L. Morrison Award for Excellence in Mass Communication History
Amount: $500
Special consideration: History
This award goes to a student, undergraduate or graduate, distinguished in the study of history. It honors the memory of the faculty member who taught journalism history from 1946 to 1970.
James J. Mullen Award to the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Advertising
Amount: $500
Special consideration: Advertising; graduating senior
This annual award, first given in spring 1985, honors the former faculty member who taught advertising from 1959 to 1986.
Carol Reuss Award
Amount: $500 each
Special consideration: Public relations; junior
This award goes to the outstanding junior in the public relations sequence. It honors the former faculty member who taught public relations from 1976 to 1996. Separate awards are given to outstanding master's and Ph.D. students.)
Stuart Sechriest Award to the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Visual Communication
Amount: $500
Special consideration: Visual communication; graduating senior
This award, first given in 1986, goes to the outstanding graduating senior in the visual communication sequence. It honors the former faculty member who taught photojournalism from 1946 to 1977. Earl Wynn Broadcast Award Amount: $500
Special consideration: Broadcasting
Awarded to a student (undergraduate or graduate, any sequence) whose excellent work and dedication to creative broadcasting, both inside and outside the classroom, have shown him or her to be a promising broadcast professional. Associate Professor Charlie Tuggle coordinates.
John B. Adams Award for Excellence in Mass Communication Law
Amount: $250
Special consideration: Law
This award goes to a student, undergraduate or graduate, distinguished in the study of law. It honors the 1969-79 dean of the School. Mackey–Byars Scholarship for Communication Excellence
Amount: $500
Created in 2005 by Ms. Queenie Mackey Byars and her husband, Napoleon Byars, both graduates of the School. Preference is given to minority or disadvantaged students.
John Albert Campbell III Scholarship
Amount: $500
Established by Beth Gardner Braxton, a graduate and former development director of the School, to honor a family friend, a 2004 graduate of Salisbury High School, whose promising life was cut short by cancer in 2005 at age 20.
Ardis Cohoon Scholarship
Amount: $500
Honors the memory of Ardis Kipp Cohoon, a 1943 graduate of the School.
Kays Gary Scholarship
Amount: $500
Honors the long-time columnist for The Charlotte Observer.
Charles Hauser Scholarship
Amount: $500
Honors a 1954 graduate of the School who had a 35-year career as a newspaper reporter and editor. He was inducted in the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame in 2000.
Donald Mauer Scholarship
Amount: $500
Created by family, friends and associates of Maurer, the former president and CEO of McKinney & Silver who passed away in a car accident in 2001. For a rising junior in the advertising sequence.
Norval Neil Luxon Prize for Scholarship to a Junior
Amount: $250
Special consideration: Junior
This award goes to the junior with the highest grade-point average. Students must have at least 36 credit hours of graded course work at UNC-Chapel Hill and have completed approximately 90 credit hours by the end of the spring semester to be eligible. It honors the memory of the 1953-64 dean of the School.
Norval Neil Luxon Prize for Scholarship to a Senior
Amount: $250
Special consideration: Senior
This award goes to the senior with the highest grade-point average of a student who is due to receive a degree in May or who received a degree the previous December. It honors the memory of the 1953-64 dean of the School.
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