Student journalists, like their professional colleagues, dedicate themselves to covering their communities across platforms. Juggling classwork, part-time work, and journalism activities can often go without reward. The National Press Club and NPC Journalism Institute are proud to administer scholarships honoring promising future journalists serving their communities.
The 2026 scholarship winners are:
- Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo: Poojasai Kona
- Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship: Karim Melek
- Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship: Santiago Campos
- Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship: Noah White
- Lewis Scholarship: Sabrina Lam
- Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship: Jackson Juzang
For a complete list of previous winners, click here.
Please check this page in fall 2026 for the opportunities available next academic year. There will be details for how to submit the applications online — along with all the requirements — posted then. We do not accept any paper or mailed application materials. (For advice on preparing your application packages, click here.)
We also recommend subscribing to National Press Club Journalism Institute newsletters to be notified of these opportunities when they become available — given how competitive NPC scholarships are, we cannot accept any late submissions.
NPC scholarship opportunities include:
The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo
The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo consists of a $5,000 one-year scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship, named for the former executive director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, is to recruit promising future journalists who will bring diversity to American journalism. The award can be renewed up to three years, for a total of $20,000 toward educational expenses.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be a high school senior in the process of applying for admission to an accredited college or university in the U.S.
- have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher
- plan to pursue a career in journalism
Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for this scholarship.
The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship
The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is named for a long-time National Press Club member who died in 2008 and endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. Recipients receive a one-time scholarship of $5,000.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be a high school senior in the process of applying for admission to an accredited college or university in the U.S.
- have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher
- plan to pursue a career in journalism
Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for this scholarship.
The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship
The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship, established in 2021, supports diversity within the field of broadcast journalism while honoring longtime radio journalist Wes Vernon, a former National Press Club member. The scholarship provides $5,000 annually to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism. The award can be renewed up to three years, for a total of $20,000 toward educational expenses.
To be eligible, students must:
- plan to pursue a career in broadcast journalism
- be enrolled in, or in the process of applying for, admission to a broadcast journalism program at an accredited university or community college in the U.S.
- have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher
The award is open to any student at any stage in their career pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. Preference is given to those students enrolled in community colleges, as outlined by the scholarship donor.
Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for this scholarship.
The Lewis Scholarship
The Lewis Scholarship, established in 2023, provides free housing and a monthly stipend to support student journalists of color with internships at news media outlets in Washington, D.C.
This Scholarship has an estimated value of $10,000 and is awarded to one undergraduate student journalist of color each summer semester. The scholarship will provide a stipend of $1,000 per month and free housing provided through Washington Intern Student Housing for the duration of the student’s internship, usually four months.
To be eligible, an applicant must:
- Be a currently enrolled college student of color in their third or fourth year of undergraduate study who is at least 18 years of age (graduating seniors may apply for this scholarship if their internship takes place in the semester immediately following graduation)
- Have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher
- Independently secure an on-site journalism internship in Washington, D.C. to take place during the semester they would receive the scholarship
- Provide a letter or email of acceptance showing they have secured an on-site journalism internship in Washington, D.C., to take place during the semester they would receive the scholarship (this is not needed at the time of application)
- Plan to pursue a career in journalism
Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply but must attend an accredited college or university in the U.S. for this scholarship.
The Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship
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. Applicants are not required to have published journalism work samples but should be prepared to demonstrate strong writing skills and commitment to the field.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be enrolled in, or in the process of applying for, admission to an accredited graduate program in journalism in the U.S.
- plan to pursue a career in journalism
- have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher
Students must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this scholarship.
The Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship
The Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship, established by ESPN baseball columnist Jeff Passan and his family, honors Rich Passan, a longtime print and broadcast journalist. The $5,000, one-time scholarship will support a rising junior or senior in college interested in a career in sports writing.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be a rising junior or senior college student
- demonstrated sports writing experience
- plan to pursue a career in sports writing
Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply but must attend an accredited college or university in the U.S. for this scholarship.
Donate to help us support early-career journalists with training: Your tax-deductible donation today can support the student journalists who will lead the industry into tomorrow. Please visit our giving page to donate. There, you can designate which scholarship you’d like to support.
Additional information
The National Press Club’s Scholarship Committee reviews applications and selects the recipient for each NPC scholarship. The review process takes place during the spring and summer. Scholarship recipients will be notified by the National Press Club president by phone. Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in the National Press Club’s annual award celebration. Scholarship winners are also awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club.
The National Press Club Journalism Institute, the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club, administers the scholarships listed above. Please email the Institute team at [email protected] with inquiries about the application process. Due to the volume of scholarship applications the National Press Club receives for these scholarships, we cannot reply to inquiries about the status of your application.