Department of Journalism

Every year the Department of Journalism gives out more than $25,000 in scholarships and awards to more than 50 students. The awards ceremony is held in late April. The 2008 awards
and the winning students are listed below.

This scholarship was created by the Ashburn family and is co-sponsored by CoreStates Bank to honor the memory of Richie Ashburn, a Hall of Fame baseball player and longtime Phillies broadcaster. 2008 Winner: Jennifer M. Reardon.

This scholarship is awarded to a print or broadcast journalism sophomore in the department who has demonstrated excellence in journalistic writing. A call is made in the spring of even-numbered years to students in Journalism program and BTMM to prepare writing materials and present themselves for an interview with a local representative of the Golf Writers Association. The local representative screens applicants and makes recommendations to the national body, where the award recipient is named. The individual chosen is eligible for renewal of the scholarship for a second year. 2008 Winners: John Kopp, Christopher Reber, Venuri Siriwardane.

Ever since its founding in 1916, the PGA of America has been involved in philanthropic outreach initiatives. This is one of them. The Journalism Scholarship at Temple ws established in 1992 by the PGA Foundation, and it's awarded every other year to a promising sophomore. 2008 Winner: Carlene Majorino.

This award goes to a graduating senior who has shown leadership, scholarship, and professional promise. 2008 Winner: Jesse North.

This scholarship goes to outstanding journalism students from Delaware County. The award was established by the Delaware County Press Club in memory of the late Jack Steck, a broadcast pioneer from Delaware County who played a major role in the development of television programming in the United States. 2008 Winners: Nicholas Pipitone, Christina Perachio, Christopher Zakorchemny.

This scholarship is one of the oldest awards in the department and is presented to five outstanding journalism majors with professional capability. Ted Von Ziekursch was a former editor of the Philadelphia Daily News. 2008 Winners: Greg Bezanis, Terrence Lee, Christopher Stover, Ashwin Verghese, Christopher Wink.

This scholarship is awarded to students who are Philadelphia residents and who intend to enter print, Web or broadcast journalism. The award is given by Temple graduate Arlene Morgan, a reporter and editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 31 years. She’s now an associate dean at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. 2008 Winners: Anne Ha and Erin Wurtzel.

This award is presented to seniors in the broadcast sequence who have excelled in the academic program. The gifts are funded by WPVI-TV anchor Jim Gardner. 2008 Winners: Catherine Hawley, Rebecca Rotkowski.

Presented to students who exemplify the qualities Dr. Womack instilled in his students and prized in their performance: academic achievement, writing proficiency, and professional promise as a 21st century journalist. Dr. Womack was a former JPRA chair and assistant dean of SCAT. 2008 Winners: Kaitlyn Dreyling, Kristin Lindermayer.

This award goes to a full-time Temple undergraduate in communications who demonstrates financial need and academic achievement. The scholarship honors Jay A. Strassberg, a 1961 Temple graduate who served as executive director of the Camden County Bar Association from 1974 to 1998. 2008 Winner: Stephenie Ramirez.

This award is given by Ottaway Newspapers, Inc., the community newspaper subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co., to a full-time Temple student whose interest is reporting and editing at a local newspaper. The scholarship honors the many contributions of David E. Brace, whose career was guided by the belief that fully informed readers make better citizens. 2008 Winner: Neal Santos.

The Vigoda Award was established in 2004 in memory of a beloved adjunct professor and Philadelphia Inquirer reporter. It is given to an undergraduate or graduate student who is interested in a career in print journalism. 2008 Winner: Leigh Zaleski.

Presented to a female student leader who has made an outstanding contribution to Temple University through her extracurricular and career-related activities. The award honors Carol R. Simon, a 1935 graduate of Temple who was president of the Philadelphia chapter of Women in Communications, Inc. 2008 Winner: Samantha Davis.

Awarded by the DeeAnn White Foundation, this scholarship honors the memory of DeAnn White, a 1996 graduate who, along with two co-workers, was killed in the May 2000 collapse of Pier 34. 2008 Winners: Renita Burns and Julio C. Nunez.

Given to an outstanding student for critical reviewing. Sam Singer was a 1934 graduate of Temple and a reviewer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. 2008 Winner: Richard Miles Britton.

LORI SCHIPPER GRADUATE AWARD

The Schipper Award rewards graduate students who have an interest in pursuing health and environmental issues. The late Lori Schipper was a 1996 graduate of the MJ program. 2008 Winner: Joel C. Hoffman, James Parsons.

Each year the department recognizes the students who have risen to the top of their class. The recipients are the top freshman, sophomore and junior, based on grade point average and total accumulated credit hours at Temple University. 2008 Winners: James J. Riggio, Ariela J. Rose, Christopher M. Malo.

Both of these awards are given in recognition of outstanding student effort and achievement in Journalism 411: News Editing. They honor two men who have long associations with Temple journalism, especially the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund-sponsored Editing Residency, now in its 39th year at Temple. The program, which draws students from across the nation, has been directed since its inception by Professor Ed Trayes. The William Connolly Editing Award is given in honor of Bill Connolly, a retired senior editor of the New York Times and 1998 Kirsch Lecturer. 2008 Winner: Sarah Jaffe. The Jerry Schwartz Editing Award is given in honor of long-time Associated Press writer and editor Jerry Schwartz. 2008 Winner: Karthika Muthukumaraswamy.

An award presented for photographic excellence in memory of the parents of Edward J. Trayes, who’s in his 39th year of teaching at Temple. 2008 Winners: Nicole Kelly, Jessica Westergom.

The Schipper Award, new this year, rewards graduate students who have an interest in pursuing health and environmental issues. The late Lori Schipper was a 1996 graduate of the MJ program. 2008 Winners: Joel C. Hoffman, James Parsons.

Awarded to Journalism students for best published or broadcast work in various categories. 2008 Winners: Sean Blanda, HaLeigh Boutin, Kathryn Bolesta, Danielle Cheesman, Chesney Davis, Melissa DiPento, Sarah Fry, Kurtis Lee, Holly Otterbein, Tye Renwick, Amiekay Richcrick, Leigh Zaleski.

This award is given to the graduating senior who has demonstrated the highest academic and professional promise. Doug Perry was a former chair of this department and the first dean of the School of Communications and Theater. 2008 Winner: Mhari Scott.

Two awards presented to students who have shown promise in photography. 2008 Winners: Julia Arcamone, Julia Wilkinson.

This award goes to a graduating senior who has excelled academically and has been active in extracurricular activities. Dr. Carl, after 25 years as a Temple University professor, remains an active supporter of the university. 2008 Winner: Julie Gargotta.

An award for outstanding photographic achievement in honor of photographer Clarence Williams, a Temple graduate and winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize. 2008 Winner: Cristina Mazza.

These awards recognize students who have shown professional promise for a future in broadcasting through their performance in the Journalism program. 2008 Winners: Trish Fleurimond, Dashira Harris, Stephanie Ramirez.

Presented to a student who has excelled in our pioneering project for seniors, the Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab. The gift is made possible by department funds. 2008 Winners: Jeff Appleblatt, Keith Morrison.

This honors the overall contribution and commitment of a staff member of Philadelphia People. 2008 Winners: Katharine Koepfinger and Jesica Sipling.

This award, funded by Dr. Patricia Bradley, a former chair of the department, honors the memory of Fawn Vrazo, a reporter with the Inquirer for 23 years, who died earlier this month. It goes to the student who best represents a commitment to the field of investigative reporting and the highest values of the profession. 2008 Winner: Brianna Barry.

New this year, these awards honor grduating students who show exceptional professional promise. They are made possible by the faculty and staff of the School of Communications and Theater. 2008 Winners: Kennedi Greenwood, Christopher Moraff, Kevin Smiley.

2008 Winner: Mhari Scott

Kappa Tau Alpha is the national journalism society, founded at the University of Missouri in 1910. For journalism students it is the equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. Among this year's inductees are juniors, seniors and graduate students who have achieved the highest level of academic excellence. 2008 Inductees: Jessica Ann Geoghan, Joel C. Hoffman, John Kopp, KirstinT. Lindermayer, Laura A. Maynard, Courtney Mimidis, Brian W. Myszkowski, Audra Nichole Neff-Williams, Nick Pipitone, Paula Elizabeth Sen, Jesica Marie Sipling, Christopher B. Stover, Ashwin Phillip Verghese.