School of Journalism & Mass Communication Scholarships

This scholarship was created by Katharine Faber Futch (JO’40) to recognize outstanding achievement and potential in an incoming first-year student. This scholarship is awarded to an SJMC student in any major who demonstrates professionalism, intelligence, and integrity. 

Scholarship Specifics and Requirements 

• The Katharine Futch scholarship is renewable for up to four years. 

• Recipients of this award must maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher. 

• Recipients of this award must be entering first-year students at Drake University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

• Recipients of this award must demonstrate academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. 

• Recipients of this award must demonstrate the promise to becoming one of SJMC’s outstanding students. 

• Recipients of this award must have demonstrated financial need. 

This scholarship was established by Sheila Wolfe (JO’52), a longtime employee of the Chicago Tribune. This scholarship is designed to support an entering first-year student who is pursuing a career in non-broadcast news journalism. 

Scholarship Specifics and Requirements 

• The Sheila A. Wolfe Award for Excellence in News Journalism is renewable for up to four years. 

• Recipients of this award must maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher. 

• Recipients of this award must be entering first-year students at Drake University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

• Recipients of this award must demonstrate academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. 

• Recipients of this award must remain students of the SJMC. 

• Recipients of this award must have demonstrated financial need. 

• Preference is given to students graduating from a Chicago-area high school. 

• Preference is given to students with experience working on a high school newspaper. 

This scholarship was created in honor of Robert D. Woodward, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Journalism emeritus. This scholarship is designed to support an entering first-year student who is pursuing a career in non-broadcast news journalism. The Professor Robert Woodward Endowed Scholarship for Multimedia Journalism Majors award amount varies from year to year based on endowment earnings. 

Scholarship Specifics and Requirements 

• The Professor Robert Woodward Endowed Scholarship for Multimedia Journalism Majors award is renewable for up to four years. 

• Recipients of this award must maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher. 

• Recipients of this award must be entering first-year students at Drake University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

• Recipients of this award must demonstrate academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. 

• Recipients of this award must remain students of the SJMC. 

• Recipients of this award must have a clear understanding and passion for Professor Woodward’s legacy by demonstrating a depth of knowledge in his key tenets: accuracy, ethical decision-making, and reporting and editing the facts by participating in student media or other related activities. 
• Recipients of this award must have demonstrated financial need. 

This scholarship was created through the E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine and Multimedia Education with the support of The Edwin T. Meredith Foundation to honor E.T. Meredith. This scholarship is designed to support an entering first-year student who is pursuing a career in magazine or brand media. 

Scholarship Specifics and Requirements 

• The E.T. Meredith Scholarship award is renewable for up to four years. 

• Recipients of this award must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher. 

• Recipients of this award must be entering first-year students at Drake University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

• Recipients of this award must demonstrate academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. 

• Recipients of this award must be a Magazine and Brand Media student in the SJMC. 

• Recipients of this award must have demonstrated financial need.

School of Journalism and Mass Communication Dean Team Scholars will be immersed in the media profession through networking with the SJMC Dean throughout their first year at Drake. 

Program Specifics and Requirements 

• SJMC Dean Team Scholars will receive a one-time $500 award for books and incidental expenses. 

• Students must attend monthly Dean Team Scholars meetings with the Dean of the SJMC during the student’s first year at Drake. 

• Dean Team Scholars have the opportunity to network with SJMC National Advisory Council Members. 

• Dean Team Scholars will have leadership development opportunities including mentorship of future SJMC Dean Team Scholars. 

• Dean Team Scholars will be immersed in the media profession through agency tours, visits to major employers, meetings with industry leaders, and networking with media professionals. 

This list of discipline-related scholarships is available to all current Drake University SJMC students. Applications for these scholarships open mid-November each year, with a February 1 deadline to submit. 

Students will be notified of scholarship and gift awards in late spring. 

Frank Miller Scholarship 

This scholarship was created in honor of Des Moines Register Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Frank Miller. This award is granted to a journalism student with a successful contribution to web-based graphic design. The Frank Miller award also provides aid for student assistantships. 

Karyl Van Scholarship 

This scholarship is named after Karyl Van, who devoted his career to magazine publishing. Recipients of this scholarship will work in the E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies. 

E.T. Meredith Foundation Scholarships 

The E.T. Meredith Foundation awards generous scholarships for magazine majors. This award is separate from the E.T. Meredith Scholarship listed in the previous section. 

Robert D. Woodward Public Affairs Reporting Scholarship 

The Robert D. Woodward Public Affairs Reporting Scholarship is an annual cash award recognizing outstanding student journalism work. This award is separate from the Professor Robert Woodward Endowed Scholarship for Multimedia Journalism Majors listed in the previous section. 

Fausch Gift Awards 

Alumnus David Fausch and his wife, Doris, offer the Fausch Gift awards. These are cash awards for public relations students due to their outstanding contributions to research for their senior capstone client. 

Josephine Hosman Award 

This award was created by Josephine and Richard Hosman and provides financial support to students who work on SJMC social and digital media projects. 

John Lytle Scholarship 

This scholarship honors retired broadcast teacher John Lytle, a Levitt Distinguished Professor. The John Lytle scholarship is awarded to a multimedia journalism student interested in pursuing a career in broadcast news. 

Harrison Harding Scholarship 

This award is in honor of Harrison Hardin (JO’38) and is awarded to the Times-Delphic editor-in-chief each year. 

Erik Isgrig Advertising Scholarship 

This award honors the memory of Erik Isgrig, a distinguished member of the SJMC’s advertising faculty in the 1960s. 

Clifton Scholarship 

This award honors the memory of Cy Clifton, a political reporter for the Des Moines Register. 

Public Relations Society of America Cash Award 

This award is presented to an SJMC student who shows great promise for a successful career in public relations. 

Beth Walters Peterson Award 

This award is an annual gift given to an SJMC student for their outstanding accomplishment in copywriting. 

David A. Myers Writing Award 

This award honors David A. Myers, a Drake journalism alumnus. This is an annual cash award recognizing a journalism major or minor who demonstrates critical thinking and creative self-expression through their writing.

Undergraduate awards available for first 3 years or until the 1st year of the Law Program (L1). 

Undergraduate awards available for first 4 years or through the 2nd year of the Pharmacy Program (P2). 

Undergraduate awards available for first 3 years or until the 1st year of Occupational Therapy Program (O1). There is a one-time $5,000 scholarship available for O1 students.