RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships in USA 2022

Applications are being accepted for RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships. The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) is providing eight scholarships and four fellowships for undergraduate and graduate journalism students in 2022.

Since 1970, RTDNF has granted over $1 million in scholarship awards and fellowships to over 500 young journalists as part of its charge as the educational division of RTDNA.

Beneficiaries have gone on to enjoy professions from anchor, reporter, and news director to White House speechwriter, media regulatory attorney, and journalism educator. A lot have worked as RTDNA board members and many are Murrow Award beneficiaries.

Fellowships are available to professional broadcast or digital journalists with at most 10 years of experience. Scholarships are available to college candidates seeking careers in television, radio, or digital journalism. Beneficiaries have to be officially enrolled, full-time sophomores, juniors or seniors in good academic standing. Scholarship and fellowship recipients are also asked to attend the Excellence in Journalism seminar.

Students may put in for only one RTDNF scholarship award, and past RTDNF scholarship award recipients are not qualified.

Scholarships – RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships

Ed Bradley Scholarship
Carole Simpson Scholarship
Presidents Scholarship
​Bob Horner Scholarship
Mike Reynolds Scholarship
Lou and Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship
George Foreman Tribute to Lyndon B. Johnson Scholarship (for students at the University of Texas at Austin)
Lee Thornton Scholarship
Pete Wilson Scholarship (for graduate or undergraduate candidates who grew up in or are going to college in the Bay Area)

Fellowships – RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships

N.S. Bienstock Fellowship

An award created in 1999 by Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper, the original founders of N.S. Bienstock. This fellowship acknowledges a talented minority journalist in radio or television news.

Along with the $2,500 award, beneficiaries are asked to attend the RTDNA conference.

Michele Clark Fellowship

RTDNF’s first fellowship award is named for Michele Clark, the CBS News correspondent who was killed in a plane crash incident while on duty in 1972. This fellowship award is granted to a young, talented minority professional in television or radio news.

Along with the $1,000 award, beneficiaries of the Michele Clark Fellowships are asked to attend the RTDNA seminar.

Vada and Col. Barney Oldfield National Security Reporting Fellowship

This fellowship was created by the RTDNF Board of Trustees in honour of Vada and Col. Barney Oldfield. Barney and Vada fought in WWII and both had memorable military careers. This fellowship award is granted to a reporter or producer in radio or television news involved in covering national defence and security issues.

Along with the $1,000 award, beneficiaries are asked to attend the RTDNA seminar.

Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellowship

This fellowship award was established to recognise former news director and Medstar executive Jacque Minnotte, who passed away in 1993. This fellowship award honours distinction in health or medical television and radio reporting.

Along with the $2,000 award, beneficiaries of the Jacque I. Minnotte Health Reporting Fellowship award are asked to attend the RTDNA seminar.

Fellowship award applications are taken in the fall and granted in May.

Worth of RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships

Journalism students and young journalists can submit applications for up to US$10,000 in awards.

Eligibility for RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships

• Fellowship programs are available to professional broadcast or digital journalists with less than 10 years of work experience.
• Scholarship awards are available to college scholars seeking careers in television, radio, or digital journalism.
• Beneficiaries have to be officially enrolled, full-time sophomores, juniors or seniors in good standing.
• United States non-citizens are required to have a United States Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).

How to Apply for RTDNA Scholarships and Fellowships

• Fill out the online application form, comprising:
• Contact information
• Experience
• URL links to 3-5 work samples
  • Work samples have to be broadcast (TV/radio) or online news pieces
  • Work samples have to be uploaded to a host site like Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.
• Upload the supplementary materials:
• Cover letter
  • Discuss your present and past journalism experience
  • Explain how you plan to use the funds
  • Discuss your decision to seek a career in journalism
  • Addressed to RTDNF Scholarship Committee
• Resume
• Letter of recommendation
  • From an advisor, professor, or supervisor
  • Addressed to RTDNF Scholarship Committee

Apply Here

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