AWM Foundation offers $20K in scholarships

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation believes that supporting future generations of women in media is as important as recognizing current achievements. That’s why the organization gives students starting their careers nearly $20,000 in scholarships every year.

The funds are intended to provide young women the opportunity to complete their education and meet their full potential, and the scholarship program would not be possible without the help of AWMF’s partners, to whom the organization express deep gratitude.

See below to review four scholarship opportunities currently available. The deadline to apply for all is April 23, 2019.
 

NCTA & AWMF Scholarship
This scholarship was created in 2015 through a partnership with NCTA- The Internet & Television Association. NCTA is the principal trade group for the internet and television industry, representing cable operators, content providers, and affiliated vendors.

This is our largest scholarship. The winning applicant will receive $5,000 towards tuition costs, payable in the Fall and the Spring semesters of the 2019-2020 school year. The scholarship will be publicly awarded at the Gracies Leadership Awards event in the Fall.

Applicants must submit a project concept based on one of three industry-specific topics listed, provide a work sample, and a letter of recommendation. They must also include a statement about why they believe the topic to be important. This scholarship is open to any female student attending an accredited university or college in the United States.

 
 
 
Loreen Arbus Foundation & AWMF Scholarship
The AWM Foundation’s partnership with the Loreen Arbus Foundation focuses on the achievements and contributions of citizens with disabilities.

This journalist scholarship program consists of one $2,500 scholarship, made payable directly to the winning student’s educational institute. The winning applicant is invited to attend AWMF’s Gracie Awards Luncheon June 26, 2019, in New York City to receive the scholarship in person.

The scholarship is open to female undergraduate and graduate students studying media, journalism, English, communications and related fields enrolled in the 2019-2020 school year. Applicants must submit a 750-1,000 word essay on a suggested topic.

 
 
 
Ford Emerging Voices Scholarship
The AWM Foundation’s partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund supports scholarships for two female students based on essays written on a suggested topic. The winning applicant will each receive a scholarship of $3,000 and the student that is selected as the runner-up will receive a scholarship of $1,000, made payable directly to each student’s educational institution in the same of Ford Motor Company Fun. Both will get the opportunity to write two blog posts for AWM. The winning student is invited to accept her scholarship in person at the Gracie Awards Luncheon in New York City on June 26, 2019.

 
 
 
Ford Empowering America Scholarship
The AWM Foundation’s partnership with The Ford Motor Company has resulted in a second scholarship fund, Empowering America. Scholarship applicants are asked to profile or interview a female leader in their community (family, school, city or personal network), showcasing why and how this woman impacts those around her, with preference to subjects with ties to the media industry in some way.

The “Empowering America” Scholarship program consists of one $3,000 scholarship for a winning student and one $2,000 scholarship for a student selected as runner-up, made payable directly to each student’s educational institute. The winning student will also each receive two tickets to attend the Gracies Leadership Awards event in the Fall. In addition, the winning student will create two profiles/interview pieces for the AWM website over the 3rd and 4th quarters of the year with guidance from AWM staff.

 
 
 
Previous NCTA and AWM scholarship recipients
Casby Bias was the recipient of the 2015 Alliance for Women in Media Foundation & National Cable & Telecommunications Association Scholarship. She is a May 2014 alumna of Marquette University and the creator of C. Bias Productions. She currently studies at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as a Television Radio & Film master’s program student.

Annabella Mineghino is another recipient of the 2015 Alliance For Women in Media Foundation and National Cable & Telecommunications Association Scholarship. She will be graduating from the University of Southern California in May 2017 with her B.A. Communication Law and Media Policy. She has done extensive research on the lack of representation in the media with the Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative and USC Annenberg. Her piece called “What Does Invisibility in Hollywood Look Like?” can be found here.

 
 
Send your career updates to Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, dan@reelchicago.com.