Journalism Scholarships

 

Applications for 2023-2024 Journalism Scholarships are now open.

Application Deadline: Friday, March 3, 2023 at noon.

The Journalism Program at UMD offers three scholarships to recognize and reward exemplary students in the program. Below are descriptions of these awards and the minimum criteria for applying to each. See application guidelines at the bottom of this page.

The Gustaf A. and Mary V. Nordin Memorial Scholarship

Mary Nordin established this scholarship in honor of her husband Gustaf A. Nordin, a reporter, editor, and columnist for the Duluth News Tribune (DNT), who began in the Superior Bureau in 1929. He served as a political columnist and correspondent from Washington, D.C., for the DNT and other newspapers in Minnesota and the Dakotas. He also produced a weekly radio show that aired on WCCO (Minneapolis) and WDSM (Duluth). He became managing editor of the DNT in 1950 and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1970. The Gustaf A. and Mary V. Nordin Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the journalism faculty in the Department of Communication.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be:

  • Interested in pursuing a career in journalism.

  • Majoring in Journalism, Communication, or a related field.

  • Earning a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

  • Registered student at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Graduating seniors are not eligible.

  • NOTE: Preference is given to students who write/edit for The Bark.

The Steven R. Fox Journalism Scholarship

Steven R. Fox is a 1974 UMD graduate and recipient of the 1997 distinguished alumni award. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist and encourage undergraduate journalism students in their educational endeavors. The Steven R. Fox Scholarship is awarded by the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS), based on a recommendation from the journalism faculty in the Department of Communication.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be:

  • A full-time student from Minnesota in good standing at UMD.

  • A Journalism major or minor.

  • A registered student at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Graduating seniors are not eligible.

  • Able to demonstrate financial need

The Larry Oakes Journalism Scholarship

This scholarship was established to honor the life and memory of Lawrence Victor Oakes III, a peerless journalist and professor, an adept handyman, a non-judgmental and remarkable listener, and an uncompromising champion of the human spirit. The Larry Oakes Journalism Scholarship is awarded by journalism faculty in the Department of Communication to support Journalism students who demonstrate academic merit and are pursuing internships at a University-approved Minnesota newspaper.

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicant must be:

  • A registered student at the University of Minnesota Duluth in good standing. Graduating seniors are not eligible.

  • A Journalism major.

How to Apply: Application guidelines

Required materials: 1) A cover letter 2) A current résumé

Optional materials: Examples of published work

1. Cover Letter

What is a cover letter? The purpose of a cover letter is to communicate why you’re a great candidate for a job, or in this case, for a scholarship. It’s a professional piece of writing meant to persuade. 

Write 200-300 words and include the following:

  • A brief introduction about yourself. In your introduction include your academic background: major(s) and minor(s), year in school, academic achievements and activities. 
  • The name of the scholarship you are applying for.
  • A statement explaining why you are applying for the scholarship and how it would benefit you.
  • Briefly discuss your career goals.
  • Include any additional relevant experiences, skills, or accomplishments that you believe make you a strong candidate for the scholarship.

2. Résumé (not to exceed two pages)

3. Optional materials: Professional samples of work. 

  • This could include links to published articles, photojournalism, video news packages, social media news posts. 
  • Not to exceed three (3) examples.

Please note that receiving a scholarship may reduce your existing financial aid award. For more information about how scholarships may affect your financial aid click here.