April 1 is deadline to apply for Valley Press Club scholarship
Date: 3/22/2010
March 22, 2010SPRINGFIELD - The Valley Press Club will award six scholarships of $1,000 each in June to high school seniors in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut planning careers in journalism.
The deadline for submitting applications is April 1, according to Robert McClellan, scholarship committee chair.
Money for one of this year's scholarships was donated by Al Jaffe, who was the Press Club's first scholarship winner in 1964. Jaffe, currently a vice president at ESPN, was a senior at Pittsfield High School when he was awarded the club's initial $500 scholarship 45 years ago. He attended Emerson College and currently serves on the Emerson College Board of Trustees.
The Republican Scholarship, funded by The Republican newspaper and administered by the club, is for students within the newspaper's circulation area who are planning careers in print journalism.
The Channel 22 Scholarship, funded by WWLP-TV and administered by the club, is for students planning careers in broadcast journalism.
The club finances two scholarships, including the Edward J. Malley Jr. Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of the former chief photographer for the Springfield Newspapers, for students planning careers in photojournalism.
Primary emphasis is placed on career goals, writing ability, scholastic aptitude and overall achievement as measured by an applicant's high school transcript, class rank, academic awards, SAT scores and extracurricular activities.
Applications are available at high school guidance offices and online at
www.valleypress club.com.
The Valley Press Club was founded in 1962 in Springfield by a group of local reporters. Two years later club membership was opened to all communications professionals in the region and a Scholarship Dance took place. Each year, the club hosts educational workshops and luncheons. Since 1964, the Press Club has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to local high school students planning to pursue careers in journalism.
Further information about the club is available at
www.valleypress club.com.
