FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2019
PRESS CONTACT: Dillon Lewis
press@nlgja.org or 202-588-9888
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists announced the recipients of several scholarships, as well as the class of students who will participate in the annual CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project.
Ben Appel of Columbia University is the recipient of the 2019 Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award, Harry Tafoya of Columbia University is the recipient of the 2019 Kay Longcope Scholarship Award and Megan Shutzer of University of California, Berkeley is the recipient of the 2019 Steve Mason Sports Media Scholarship Award. Additionally, Kevin Truong of City University of New York, Hannah Schoenbaum of Boston University, Emma Tobin of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kerry Breen of New York University and Nancy Pickett of Chapman University are the recipients of the 2019 Facebook Journalism Project Scholarship Awards.
The Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award, named in honor of NLGJA founder Leroy Aarons, is awarded to an LGBTQ student pursuing a career in journalism. The Kay Longcope Scholarship Award, named in honor of The Texas Triangle founder and The Boston Globe reporter Kay Longcope, provides tuition assistance to a LGBTQ student of color planning to pursue a career in journalism. The Steve Mason Sports Media Scholarship Award provides tuition support for an LGBTQ student who has demonstrated an interest in sports journalism and a dedication to fair and accurate LGBTQ coverage. Beginning in 2018, NLGJA has partnered with the Facebook Journalism Project to provide tuition each year for five years to students who are pursuing a career in journalism and media.
Additionally, NLGJA announced that eight students will participate in the annual CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project at the National Convention in New Orleans, August 29 – September 1. The student participants are Shutzer, Irena Fischer-Hwang of Stanford University, Kayla Brown of California State University Sacramento, Ethan Knox of Binghamton University, Mackenzie Farkus of Simmons University, Andre Menchavez of University of Washington, Alesia Bani of Temple University and Ryan Krause of New York University. You can follow their work throughout the convention by visiting news.nlgjaconnect.org.
Each year, NLGJA chooses students from across the country to participate in the CONNECT: Student Journalism Training Project, which provides real-world experience to undergraduate and graduate students who are considering a career in journalism. Students participating in the project produce portfolio-quality journalism, network with media professionals and receive feedback on their resumes and career plans. They will work with mentors from organizations including NPR, the Associated Press and The New York Times to report, edit, photograph, design and produce the news of NLGJA’s National Convention.
For more information about scholarships and student opportunities, visit www.nlgja.org.
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About NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
NLGJA is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ issues. NLGJA opposes all forms of workplace bias and provides professional development to its members. For more information, visit www.nlgja.org.