The National Press Club has chosen Anjolina Fantaroni of Southbridge, Massachusetts, as the recipient of its 2025 Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship. The scholarship, which promotes diversity within the field of broadcast journalism, is awarded to an aspiring journalist and totals as much as $20,000 over four years.
Fantaroni is a rising senior at Elon University, where she serves as the broadcast news director and a multimedia reporter at Elon News Network. The judges were impressed by her excellent coverage of Hurricane Helene, which received first place in “‘best crisis coverage” from the College Media Association earlier this year.
“As a first-generation student at Elon, settling in came with its hardships,” Fantaroni said in her application essay. “My background helps me tell stories that resonate with others … and brings attention to issues that may be overlooked in both the campus community and on a national level.”
In addition to her work at Elon News Network, Fantaroni is a mentor for the Elon First Generation Society, a network that supports first-generation college students.
Recommendation letters from her professors and advisors praised her leadership acumen, work ethic, and adaptability.
“She has been a reliable and indispensable part of our news organization at Elon University, serving as a reporter, producer, anchor and news director for our broadcast,” said Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism at Elon University. “But she still flexes her multimedia muscles by contributing regularly to our online, social media, and print products as well. A glance through her portfolio shows that Anjolina has a passion for news and a keen sense of the importance for visual storytelling.”
The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship provides $5,000 annually to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism. The award can be renewed for up to three years. Named in memory of the late Wes Vernon, a prolific radio journalist whose career included national political reporting from Washington, D.C., the scholarship intends to remove barriers for students from backgrounds underrepresented in broadcast journalism.
“Anjolina has already demonstrated a keen sense of visual storytelling and has covered heavy topics with grace and sensitivity,” said Mike Balsamo, National Press Club president. “She is not afraid to put in the hard work to achieve her goals, and we’re thrilled to support her as she continues her broadcast journalism studies.”
In addition to funding, scholarship winners are awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club. National Press Club scholarships are administered by its nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. Support the Institute’s student-focused programming with a donation today.
About the Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute 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 a more representative democracy. NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.
About the Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. With 3,000 members from nearly every leading news organization, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.
Tags: broadcast scholarship, journalism scholarships, scholarships
Congratulations, Angolina! It was well deserved !!