Department of Journalism
Kimpel 116
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-575-3601
E-MAIL CONTACTS:
Patsy Watkins, Department Chair
Carol Rachal, Alumni contact
how to apply
Scholarships
Latest Scholarships
Scholarship News
Go here for the latest scholarship deadlines and details.
One clear way to instill professionalism in journalism students is through a competitive scholarship program. The Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism has met that challenge annually through a scholarship program that annually awards $35,000 to over $60,000. Journalism faculty regard the competitive process of scholarship application and review as preliminaries to the competition graduates will face.
The department enjoys the support of annual gifts from distinguished alumni, families and state organizations, including the Arkansas Broadcasters Association, the former Arkansas Democrat newspaper (now the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) and the Arkansas Press Association. Our largest endowments are the Joseph A. Thalheimer, Edsel Ford, and Walter J. Lemke Scholarships.
All scholarships are awarded in consideration of students' academic performance, their demonstrated interest in journalism careers and, in some instances, family financial need. ONLY Journalism majors can apply for the scholarships listed on this site unless otherwise stated. A 2.0 GPA is the minimum GPA requirement for all department scholarships unless otherwise stated.
Applications for journalism scholarships can be found in the journalism office at Kimpel 116 or from the links below. Applications are due in February every year; announcements of awards are made in April during our annual J-Days banquet. Only the Morriss and graduate scholarships require specialized application forms. All other departmental scholarships will be awarded using the general scholarship application and your portfolio, paper, clips or other documents.
Scholarship applications forms
Download the scholarship application forms here.
Departmental Scholarships
| Scholarship | Sequence | Award Amount | Duration | Need | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Broadcasters Association | Broadcast | tuition for 12 hours (NO FEES) | year | yes | Preference is given to Arkansas residents. |
| Arkansas Press Association | Editorial | $1,500 | year | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| A.W. Blake Memorial | Journalism | varies $500-$1,500 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| Edsel Ford | Journalism | varies $1,000-$1,500 | semester | yes | Apply in journalism office. |
| James Jones Memorial | Editorial | $500 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| John B. "Tony" Dyke Scholarship in Sports Writing | Journalism | full tuition, books, fees | year; renewable | no | Based on academic achievement and sports reporting experience. |
| Richard Koch Memorial | Journalism | varies $250-$500 | semester | no | Non-traditional students only. |
| Walter J. Lemke Memorial | Journalism | varies $500-$1,500 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| Joseph A. Thalheimer Memorial | Journalism | varies $500-$1,500 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| Memphis Gridiron's Larry Williams | Journalism | $500 | semester | yes | Must be from Eastern Arkansas. |
| Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | Editorial | $2,500 | semester | no | Must be a graduate from an Arkansas high school and maintain a 2.5 GPA in college. |
| Wanda A. Belzung | Ad/PR | varies $500-$750 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| Ernie Deane Memorial | Editorial or Ad/PR | $750 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| J.E. Dunlap, Jr. | Editorial | $500 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| George A. Gearhart | Journalism | $500 | semester | no | Preference given to Editorial. |
| Elizabeth Barnes Messner Scholarship | Journalism | full tuition, books & fees | year, renewable for one year | no | Based on high academic achievement and proven writing ability. |
| John Rosso | Ad/Pr | $750 | semester | no | Apply in journalism office. |
| Lemke Alumni Association | Journalism | $500 | semester | no | Student whose academic performance may currently be borderline below the standard GPA set by the Journalism Dept. for departmental scholarship awards. |
Other Scholarships
| Scholarship | Sequence | Award Amount | Duration | Need | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising Federation Scholarship | Journalism Ad/PR (more) | See requirements, criteria and application here. | |||
| George C. Douthit Scholarship Trust | Soph. Junior & Senior Journalism Studentsattending Arkansas Universities | $1,500 | annual | no | To apply for this scholarship write to: George C. Douthit Scholarship Trust |
| Jim Morriss (application) |
Editorial | $500 plus internship pay | semester | no | Student should be a junior or senior the semester that the scholarship is given. Recipient must be available for an eight-week, full-time paid internship at The Morning News in Springdale during the summer preceding the fall semester in which the scholarship is given. |
| Ronald A. Robinson | Journalism | $1,000 | semester | no | This scholarship is automatically given to the editor of The Arkansas Traveler newspaper. |
Other scholarships and fellowships are available on an occasional basis. These are posted here as they arrive.
To learn more about our scholarships, contact Phyllis Miller or Gerald Jordan.
Information on University-wide scholarships is available through the U of A Financial Aid office.
Financial Aid and Work-Study
The department frequently hires students who qualify for work-study to work in the journalism main office. To apply for work-study and all other forms of financial aid (with the exception of journalism scholarships), contact the U of A office in Silas Hunt Hall, Room 114, phone 479-575-3806.
The NWA Chapter of the Arkansas Alumni Association is pleased to announce the award of scholarships to two University of Arkansas students. The chapter awards one scholarship to a UA upperclassman from Benton County, and one from Washington County each academic year.