The Iowa Newspaper Foundation offers scholarships for Iowa college students preparing for a career in the newspaper industry. High school seniors and students currently enrolled at a college or university are encouraged to apply.

Nine Iowa students have been selected as recipients of Iowa Newspaper Foundation scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year. The scholarships are awarded to students preparing for a career in the newspaper industry in Iowa.

This year’s awards and recipients include-

Alyssa Hoogendoorn of Rock Valley and a graduate from Western Christian High School is the rec- ipient of the Carter Pitts/LeMars Daily Sentinel Scholarship of $500. She plans to attend Dordt College.

Lindsey Moon of Panora is a graduate from Panorama Community High School. She is the recipient of the Carter Pitts Scholarship Endowment Award, $500. She plans to attend the University of Iowa.

The committe awarded two David W. Belin Scholarships, both for $500. The awards go to Drew Norton, a Bloomfield resident and graduate from Davis County High School and Alisha Steele of Dunlap, a graduate from Boyer Valley High School. As required by the scholarship, both plan to attend Iowa State University.

Justin Cullen of Storm Lake and a graduate from St. Mary’s High School is the recipient of a $1,000 Iowa Journalism Institute Scholarship. He will attend the University of Notre Dame.

Kirsten Søgaard of Dyersville graduated from Beckman High School and plans to attend the University of Iowa. She will receive a $1,000 Iowa Newspaper Foundation Scholarship.

Two other students received Iowa Newspaper Foundation Scholarships. Laura Johnson of Manson is a graduate from Manson/Northwest Webster High School and plans to attend Drake University. She will receive a $500 award.

Sophie Fajardo from Glenwood graduated from Glenwood Community High School and plans to attend Grinnell College. She will also receive a $500 scholarship.

Rebecca Morenz of Harlan is the recipient of a $500 Iowa College Media Association Scholarship. She is a 1997 graduate of Sac Community High School. She is taking classes through Iowa Western Community College and North Iowa Area Community College.

Fifty-three applications were submitted for the nine scholarships. These annual scholarships are one way the INF contributes to the education of young Iowans anticipating newspaper careers.

David W. Belin Scholarships are awarded to students attending or planning to attend the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University and are in conjunction with the Iowa Journalism Institute awards which are funded through a gift to the Iowa Newspaper Foundation by Gary Gerlach and Michael Gartner. The late David W. Belin was a nationally-recognized attorney and longtime business partner of Gerlach and Gartner.

Two scholarships are given in memory of the late Carter Pitts, longtime publisher of the LeMars Daily Sentinel and the first president of the Iowa Newspaper Foundation. The Carter Pitts/LeMars Daily Sentinel Scholarship is funded by an annual gift from the Daily Sentinel. The Carter Pitts Scholarship Endowment award was set up through a gift established by members of the Pitts family.

The Iowa Newspaper Foundation scholarships are provided through contributions from Iowa newspapers and the Pages for the 21st Century program.

The Iowa College Media Association (ICMA) is offered to a student attending a college or university with a membership in ICMA.

The INF will announce scholarship information in September 2008 for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Scholarships awarded annually include–

Carter Pitts Scholarships
The Le Mars Daily Sentinel funds an annual Carter Pitts scholarship in the amount of $500. The scholarship is named for the Daily Sentinel’s longtime publisher/owner. The late Carter Pitts was also the first president of the Iowa Newspaper Foundation and the organization’s first professional fundraiser.

In addition, the Carter Pitts Scholarship Endowment Fund generates an annual scholarship. The amount of the award will be determined in early 2009.

INF Scholarships
The Iowa Newspaper Foundation will award $1,000 scholarships to two Iowa students preparing for newspaper careers at Iowa colleges or universities.

Woodward Scholarship
Funded by a contribution from Woodward Communications, Inc. An annual scholarship award will go to a student studying journalism, communications, mass communications, photojournalism, graphic design, marketing or public relations at a college or university in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin. The amount of each Woodward scholarship will be based on fund earnings and will be determined in early 2009.

Iowa Journalism Institute Scholarships
Funded by a contribution from Michael Gartner and Gary Gerlach of Des Moines the IJI annually awards scholarships to up to two students enrolled in Iowa State University’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. These scholarships are given in the name of the late David W. Belin, longtime business partner of Gerlach and Gartner.

The balance of available IJI funds are used to provide scholarships to students interested in community newspaper careers and who are enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program in newspaper journalism (or a closely related field) at any college or university in the nation.

The amount of each Iowa Journalism Institute scholarship is based on IJI endowment fund earnings and will be determined in early 2009.

Application notes

• Check back in the fall for applications for 2009-2010 scholarships.
• The INF Scholarship Committee, when reviewing applications, will consider all applications that qualify for each of the scholarships offered. It is not necessary to apply for a specific scholarship award.
• Application forms are sent to all high school guidance offices in Iowa and can also be obtained from the Iowa Newspaper Foundation.
• Applications for 2009-2010 scholarships will be due in February 2009. Awards will be announced before May 1, 2009. All applicants will be notified by mail.
• Proceeds for all scholarships awarded by the Iowa Newspaper Foundation will be paid directly to the college or university. Each scholarship granted will be for the upcoming academic year and not on an ongoing basis. Students, however, may apply for and may qualify for scholarships in subsequent years.
• Awards are made only to students preparing specifically for newspaper careers.
• For more information, see your guidance counselor or contact the Iowa Newspaper Foundation.