Scholarships
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awards six scholarships each year to students pursuing careers in journalism.
How to apply for a scholarship
The Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles (SPJ/LA) awards annual scholarships to aspiring journalists who are full-time students majoring in journalism in an accredited undergraduate or graduate journalism program in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties.
Applicants must demonstrate their potential to succeed in news, sports and photojournalism media careers. Students who attended high schools in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties and are attending accredited journalism programs elsewhere are also eligible. Applicants may apply for multiple scholarships if they meet each of the specific criteria, but no more than one scholarship will be awarded to any applicant. High school seniors from Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties are eligible to apply for the Bill Farr Memorial Scholarship. Students in fields such as advertising, public relations or law, are not eligible.
REQUIREMENTS:
Application form (below) fully completed and submitted prior to the deadline.
Proof of enrollment or acceptance in an accredited journalism program at a two-year or four-year college or university must be furnished upon request.
Resume containing a record of your school and/or professional journalism experience, including a brief description of positions held (reporter, city editor, etc.), dates you began and ended work for each position. Include journalism honors and awards, scholarships or achievements in any field.
Journalism work samples preferably as links, clearly indicating the media outlet with your sole byline or credit and any special circumstances under which the work was done.
Print/web journalists submit at least three articles you have written.
Photojournalists submit up to five samples to show the breadth of your experience.
Broadcast journalists submit a variety of video clips on set and reporting in the field.
Provide the name, email and phone number of a professor or newsroom supervisor as a reference. (If a rising college freshman, then provide a letter from your high school teacher outlining your journalism goals.)
Note: Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Questions? Please direct any questions to spjlosangeles@gmail.com
Bill Farr Memorial Scholarship — $1,500
Richard D. Hendrickson Memorial Scholarship — $2,000
This scholarship is awarded to an enrolled college student pursuing a career in the field of text/print journalism. Richard D. Hendrickson, Ph.D., was an SPJ/LA Board Member who had a 40-year career as an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor and an instructor at Cleveland’s John Carroll University, UCLA Extension and Cal State, Northridge.
Helen Johnson Memorial Scholarship — $1,500
This scholarship is awarded to a college student pursuing broadcast journalism. This award honors the late Helen Johnson, a producer of “Channel 4 News Conference” and an associate producer of “Meet the Press.”
This scholarship is awarded to high school seniors or college students who demonstrate a strong intent to pursue a career in journalism. The award honors the late Bill Farr, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times who sat in county jail for 46 days for refusing to tell a judge which lawyers had violated a gag order during the Charles Manson murder trial.
Carl Greenberg Memorial Scholarship — $1,500
This scholarship is awarded to a college student pursuing investigative or political reporting. Carl Greenberg was a political reporter at the Los Angeles Times, famed for being singled out by Richard Nixon as the only reporter who covered him “fairly.”
Nonprofit Communications and Media Network’s Lisa A. Davidson Memorial Scholarship - $1,500
This scholarship is awarded to a student who is currently enrolled in college or has been accepted to college in Los Angeles County, Orange County or Ventura County and will be pursuing a career in journalism. This scholarship is supported by contributions to the Ruth Collander Endowment Fund.
Ken Inouye Memorial Scholarship — $1,500
This scholarship is awarded to a college journalist of color and is aimed at increasing ethnic diversity in newsrooms. Ken Inouye was a 22-year-old cameraman for the International News Service who was killed aboard an Army aircraft while covering the Korean War.
“I was honored with the Richard D. Hendrickson Memorial Scholarship for students pursuing a career in print journalism.
I began to pursue a career in journalism in 2015 at Fullerton College and fell in love with the field after my first class. Since then I've focused my efforts on photojournalism, breaking news and long-form, feature writing on topics relating to political and human rights issues.”
-Madalyn Amato,
Editor in Chief, Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach
2019 recipient of the Richard D. Hendrickson Memorial Scholarship