WHCA Announces Record High Spending for Scholarships

The White House Correspondents’ Association announces that it is awarding more money for college scholarships than ever, providing a record amount of aid to aspiring journalism students across the country.

The grants will go to 30 outstanding students. All are invited as guests at the WHCA’s annual dinner on April 25. They also will attend a luncheon and program the day before in Washington. And they will be paired with volunteer mentors from the White House press corps for the coming year.

SEE THEM HERE

“The WHCA is proud to double down on the next generation of reporters at a moment when independent journalism is under pressure,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the association.

“Boosting our scholarship program is not just an investment in a group of bright scholars, but it’s an investment in the public’s right to be informed. We are excited to celebrate and honor their hard work.”

The WHCA is adding a new scholarship this year, at New York University. It also is increasing its financial support at 6 of its existing partners.

Overall, the association sponsors or co-sponsors scholarships at:

–American University;

–Arizona State University;

–Hampton University;

–Howard University;

–New York University;

–Northwestern University;

–Ohio University;

–the University of California, Berkeley’

–the University of Kansas;

–the University of Maryland;

–the University of Missouri;

–the University of Tennessee.

SEE DETAILS OF EACH SCHOLARSHIP

And it co-sponsors scholarships with:

–Asian American Journalists Association, this year at Princeton University

–National Association of Hispanic Journalists, this year at Sagrado Corazón University

–The White House Historical Association, at Iowa State University

–Syracuse University;

TO DONATE TO HELP SCHOLARSHIPS

Overall, the association this year will award $156,000 in grants, the highest amount since it started scholarships more than 3 decades ago.

In addition to grants from the WHCA and its partners, the association leverages another $14,500 in aid.

Including this year, the WHCA has provided grants to more than 440 students, awarding a total of $2.2 million in scholarships, and leveraging another $1.6 million in aid.

After a spike in spending in 2009 proved unsustainable, the association has followed a strategy of assuring future financial aid to aspiring and promising young journalists.

In 2014, it created a reserve fund to ensure that it could continue awarding scholarships without cuts or interruption even in challenging times. And since 2014, it has followed a strategy of growth including new partnerships to help students in more parts of the country. In recent years, it’s added scholarships in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, for example. And it created new partnerships with the Asian American Journalists Association and National Association of Hispanic Journalists that provide scholarships at various schools.

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For more on the WHCA Scholarship program, contact Executive Director Steve Thomma at director@whca.press