MNSPJ accepts unrestricted $2,000 and $500 college scholarship applications through May 21

Attention college journalists: The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists (MNSPJ) is now accepting applications for its 2023 student scholarship. This year, MNSPJ will award one $2,000 scholarship to a student pursuing a career in broadcast, print, online or visual journalism. Up to two additional scholarships of $500 may be awarded, depending upon the number and quality of applications.

These are unrestricted funds and can be used as students see fit toward academic or professional pursuits.

Last year’s first-place scholarship was awarded to Katelyn Vue, then a graduating senior with the University of Minnesota, who went on to intern for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Vue is now a housing reporter with the online Sahan Journal.

“I used the scholarship money to cover car repairs and bills, like rent and car insurance,” Vue said. “It was super helpful for me at a time when I was having a really hard time staying afloat.”

A second-place scholarship was awarded to Soraya Keiser, a reporter for the Bethel Clarion at Bethel University who interned last summer at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She used her scholarship funds to board a plane to the Czech Republic, where The Fund for American Studies and The Media Project co-host journalism training.

“The money I received went towards attending the TFAS European Journalism Institute in Prague over the summer,” said Keiser. “This made the program more affordable and allowed me to take a week off from my internship.”

To participate in the 2023 scholarship competition:

Applicants must either be enrolled in a post-secondary institution in Minnesota or have graduated from a high school in Minnesota and be enrolled in college elsewhere.

Click here to submit an application form –- the first step.

Email the additional application materials to minnesota.spj@gmail.com.

Here’s what’s required:

  1. Application form, which can be found here
  2. Resume
  3. College transcript (unofficial transcript is fine)
  4. Letter of recommendation
  5. Essay (limited to 500 words): Why have you chosen journalism as a career?
  6. Up to six samples of work via a link to your portfolio, a PDF of clips or story URLs.

Applications must be received by 10 p.m. on May 21, 2023. No late submissions will be accepted. The scholarship winners will be announced at or prior to MNSPJ’s annual Page One Awards banquet this summer, where recipients will receive their awards. Questions? Email fmelo (at) pioneerpress.com.