Admissions

Scholarships & Awards | Journalism

 

Journalism Scholarship

McPherson College's communications program awards an unlimited number of journalism scholarships up to $4,000. This can also be combined with other institutional scholarships to total as much as $12,000. Applicants need not be journalism majors but do need to commit to serving as a staff member on student publications. The scholarships may be renewed for three years, contingent upon therecipient's full involvement in student publications.

Students who would like to be considered for a co-curricular Journalism Scholarship should complete the following steps:

• Contact McPherson College by phone at 800-365-7402, email at admiss@mcpherson.edu or Online Inquiry Form to indicate your interest in applying for the Journalism Scholarship.
  
  
• Complete an application for admission to McPherson College. An online application is available here.
  
  
• Prepare a portfolio representing the breadth and quality of your journalism skills. See Portfolio guidelines below .
  
  
• Visit campus and participate in a scholarship audition with a communication program faculty member. See information about the auditions below.
  

 

Journalism Scholarship Portfolio

Journalism Scholarship applicants should bring a portfolio representing the breadth and quality of their journalism skills when they visit campus for their scholarship audition. The portfolio may be a
traditional paper portfolio or an electronic portfolio submitted on CD or DVD.

The portfolio should include the following:

• A one-page introduction summarizing your journalism experience to date and your goals and motivations for continuing your involvement in student publications in college.
• A letter of nomination from a teacher or counselor.
• Selected samples of your best work. These may include
  • stories, columns, or editorials that you have written
  • photos you have taken
  • page layouts or infographics that you have designed
  • multimedia stories that you have produced.

 

If you have additional questions about the portfolio, contact the Office Admissions at the numbers
below.

Journalism Scholarship Audition

Journalism Scholarship applicants must come to campus for a college visit and scholarship audition. In the audition, you review your portfolio with a member of the communication faculty and complete a news writing and copy editing exercise.

• The news writing activity is a timed exercise that provides
  information and direct quotations from which you write a straight news story.
• The copy editing activity is a timed exercise in which you edit a 600-word press release down
  to 250 words and correct errors of spelling, grammar, usage and style.

 

About 90 minutes is required to complete the portfolio review and the writing and editing exercises.
Communication faculty will work with you to find a convenient for your audition.

If you have additional questions about the portfolio, contact the Office Admissions at the numbers
below.

 

Office of Admissions: 800-365-7402 | 620-242-0400 | admiss@mcpherson.edu