AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas School of Journalism is one of 10 schools selected by the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) to participate in its inaugural Scholars Program, which will enable communication students from diverse backgrounds to complete their undergraduate degree and begin careers in broadcasting.
The Scholars Program, launched last month, provides scholarships to outstanding communication students from diverse backgrounds with financial need beginning in their junior year and continuing through their senior year.
The 10 schools were selected based on the quality of their communication programs, as well as regional distribution. As a result, the School of Journalism is able to award a $20,000 scholarship—in the form of $10,000 for both junior and senior years—to one of its minority broadcast students who has financial need, a 2.0 GPA or greater and demonstrated ability and promise.
Melinda Merola, a junior from Houston studying broadcast journalism and Spanish, has been selected to receive the NABEF scholarship. She is an assistant director of the Campus Environmental Center and participates in the environment track of The University of Texas at Austin Bridging Disciplines Program. She also serves as executive producer of KVR News, The University of Texas at Austin student-produced national award-winning television news program, and hopes to work in environmental and broadcast journalism upon graduation. As part of the scholarship, she will complete an internship at a licensed radio or television station.
The other nine schools selected to participate in the Scholars Program are: Bowling Green State University; Brigham Young University; Murray State University; Pennsylvania State University; University of Alaska, Anchorage; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; University of Florida, Gainesville; University of Nevada, Reno; and the University of Southern California.
The NAB Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in supporting and advocating: education and training programs, strategies to increase diversity, initiatives stressing the importance of the First Amendment, community service, philanthropy and other timely broadcasting issues.
For more information contact: Erin Geisler, College of Communication, 512-475-8071, or Kris Jones, National Association of Broadcasters, 202-429-5350.
