In a return to the School of Media and Journalism’s pre-COVID tradition of hosting a spring scholarship reception, this Sunday (April 23), MDJ is awarding more than $100,000 in 42 different named scholarships to more than 70 returning and incoming students. We are so grateful to the donors who make it possible for us to help support our students in the continuation of their studies at Kent State.
MDJ’s scholarship award ceremony is the culmination of a months-long process that begins with an invitation for current students to submit an application. A committee of MDJ faculty members representing all areas of study then reviews student applications, evaluating the quality of student work submitted and assessing the answers students have provided in response to application prompts. Simultaneously, colleagues help confirm things like GPAs, academic standing and financial need. This additional information is then fed into student application profiles. Once all data has been assembled and reviewed, we apply a script that sorts students into buckets associated with the various scholarships for which they are eligible.
Not all students are eligible for all scholarships. For example, one scholarship may require that a recipient be pursuing a specific major, or have significant financial need, or have an exceptionally strong academic record, or be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, or be an active participant in Student Media, or any other number of specific requirements. With more than 40 separate scholarships – some of which allow for multiple recipients and all of which articulate their own criteria, and nearly 100 students submitting scholarship applications, the process of matching students to scholarship monies is far from simple. But it’s important work, and we’re motivated by the knowledge that time spent doing this work will help students succeed as they pursue their studies across all areas of MDJ.
As director of MDJ, I am grateful every day for all the ways that alumni and friends support the School of Media and Journalism. The financial donations that support our scholarships and that are at the heart of our annual scholarship award ceremony are critically important to our ability to serve our students. But alumni can and do serve in other ways. They mentor current students. They share employment opportunities with faculty and staff. They serve as guest lecturers. They offer professional evaluations of student coursework. They contribute to the academic and professional development missions of the School in myriad ways, some high profile, some low key. Every single contribution, in every form it takes is deeply valued. Thank you.