Three Washington, D.C., area college students hoping to pursue careers in journalism have been selected to receive $4,000 each in scholarship assistance next school year from The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of Washington, D.C., (SDX/DC), the journalism education foundation.

The recipients – Andrea Wright (University of the District of Columbia), Bradley Mighdoll (University of Maryland at College Park) and Stephanie Ostroff (University of Maryland at College Park), were chosen from a pool of talented students who applied for the scholarships.

The recipients were selected after a rigorous screening and interview process conducted by the foundation’s scholarship committee. The students’ views on journalistic fairness, ethics and First Amendment values were among the factors considered by the foundation’s scholarship committee.

“We are happy to continue providing needed and deserved assistance to future journalists, despite the tough economic times besetting our industry and nation,” said Reginald Stuart, president of the SDX/DC foundation. “Journalism has a future and we have a vital role to play in helping democracy function. That makes it even more important than in many years to continue investing in the education of those who have a passion for journalism and the people’s right to know.”

Wright, a rising junior majoring in English and journalism, is the first UDC student to win the SDX/DC Scholarship. She has an interest in feature and business writing.

Mighdoll, a rising senior at the University of Maryland at College Park, is a journalism major focusing on broadcast news.

Ostroff, a rising senior at the University of Maryland at College Park, is a journalism major focusing on magazine writing.

Ostroff will also receive the $1,000 Ira R. Allen Award, given to a deserving University of Maryland student on behalf of Ira Allen, a past SDX/DC scholarship recipient and foundation board member.

Wright was designated the Kiplinger Scholar, in honor of the Kiplinger Foundation’s long time and generous support of the scholarship program.

Mighdoll was designated the Lowe Scholar, in honor of the late Florence and Herman Lowe. Florence Lowe funded the initial SDX/DC scholarship in 1962 with a gift in honor of her husband who preceded her in death. He was a longtime active member of the Washington, D.C., Professional Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, predecessor organization of The Society of Professional Journalists. The Lowe’s daughter, Lesley Israel, is a member of the SDX/DC board.

“The 2009 Scholarship recipients represent a cross section of skill set and talent,” said Michelle Duke, vice president of the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and chair of the SDX/DC foundation’s scholarship committee. “ Each of these students has a promising career ahead of them and will be an excellent addition to the journalism industry.”

Other scholarship committee members were Israel, Allen, veteran journalist David Hess and Dr. Lee Thornton, professor of journalism at the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

The SDX scholarships are funded by donations from past scholarship recipients, individuals in the journalism community, and a portion of the membership dues of members of the Washington, D.C., Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ/DC), parent of the foundation.

Additional funding is provided by a matching grant from the Kiplinger Foundation and donations from the family of the late Florence Segal Lowe.

Past scholarship recipients have come from nearly every public and private college and university in the Washington area. Students must apply for the scholarship on their own.

Past recipients hold a variety of jobs at news organizations across the country.

SDX/DC will begin soliciting applications this fall for awards in 2010. Applications must be postmarked by December 21, 2009. Complete information about the scholarship and an application form can be found on the foundation’s Web site: www.sdxdc.org and can be requested by mail. Finalists for 2010 will be chosen in January, 2010 and recipients chosen in February, 2010.

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The SDX Foundation of Washington, D.C., is the non-profit education arm of the Washington, D.C., Professional Chapter of SPJ. The chapter is part of the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of college and professional journalists. It was founded in Greencastle, Ind., in 1909.

Donations to support the SDX/DC Scholarship Fund are tax deductible. To contribute, make payments payable to SDX/DC Scholarship Fund and mail to SDX/DC, P.O. Box 19555, Washington, D.C. 20036.

4/15/2009

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