Scholarships & Awards

MSU Department of Mass Communications scholarships and awards are presented to students each year during late April of spring term.Scholarship applications are usually made available to students in late March or early April of each spring term.

Students are apprised of the scholarship application process through class announcements and printed notices posted in Nelson Hall. Annual scholarship amounts range from $200 to possibly more than $1,000.

Scholarship Criteria

Department of Mass Communications Scholarships

To be eligible for a Department of Mass Communications scholarship, a student must be enrolled at Minnesota State University and must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a declared and enrolled major in mass communications.
2. Have a 3.0 or higher cumulative MSU GPA, according to official MSU records.
3. Have completed Introduction to Mass Communications and Media Writing I and be enrolled in one or more mass comm courses beyond Media Writing I.
4. Reflect those qualities the full-time faculty of the department deem requisite in a competent and respected media communicator.
5. Submit with your application a word-processed statement in which you provide detailed answers to the following questions:
   • What are your career plans? How will a degree in mass communications help you achieve your goals?
   • Do you need financial aid? Why or why not? (Include an essay about "a day in my life" that gives a picture of school, job and anything else that demonstrates financial need and how a scholarship would be helpful.)
   • Have you been involved in volunteer or extracurricular activities or organizations that have somehow served the public? If so, provide details.
   • What, if any, work experience in mass media have you had? Provide details.
   • What high school did you attend?
6. Sign the department pledge on the application form that stipulates you will remain a student at MSU for at least one semester of the 2006-2007 academic year.
7. Provide with your application a current MSU unofficial transcript.

Franklin Rogers Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship. The student must also demonstrate high scholarship and intend to enter professional newspaper practice. When applying for this scholarship, be sure to state your professional intentions.

Jeffrey S. Schubbe Journalism Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship.The student must also demonstrate high scholarship and intend to enter the professional print-journalism field.When applying for this scholarship, be sure to state your professional intentions.

Mankato Free Press Journalism Scholarships (when available)

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship.The student must also demonstrate high scholarship and intend to enter professional newspaper practice.When applying for this scholarship, be sure to state your professional intentions.

PRSSA Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship. In addition, the student must indicate membership in the MSU Chapter of PRSSA on the application form and in the written statement. Applicants must also demonstrate high scholarship and intend to enter public relations practice. When applying for this scholarship, be sure to state your professional intentions.

Coughlan/Schuh Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship. The student must also demonstrate a history of community volunteer work. Volunteer work for school groups, civic organizations, religious groups and other organizations would be considered.

Sue Menton Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship. The student must also demonstrate high scholarship and have junior or senior status. In addition, the student must have graduated from Mankato West High School, Mankato East High School or Loyola High School of Mankato.

The Robert & Jeanille Shipman Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship. The student must also demonstrate high scholarship and intend to enter the professional journalism field. When applying for this scholarship, be sure to state your professional intentions.

AP Style Scholarship

To be eligible, a student must meet the same criteria as for the Department of Mass Communications scholarship except that a GPA of 2.5 or higher will be considered. Also, the applicant must:

1. Be a junior or senior with a declared concentration in News-Editorial or Journalism.
2. Be paying for his or her own school and be able to demonstrate financial need.
3. Be willing to share with the scholarship donor the information provided in the application.

Note:

Each student's academic record and application will remain confidential. Full-time faculty members of the Department of Mass Communications make final selections. Faculty members reserve the right to reject all applicants.

Awards Criteria

Certificate of Excellence

In recognition of outstanding scholarship to juniors with a university 3.5 GPA and who exemplify the standards of the Department of Mass Communications. No application is necessary.

Outstanding Sophomore Award (formerly Director's Prize)

To the sophomore or sophomores who demonstrate outstanding potential for accomplishing the major and the professional practice of media communication.Usually a book award. No application is necessary.

Faculty Award

To the student or students whose scholarship, character and performance exemplify the standards of the Department of Mass Communications.Usually a book award to graduating seniors. No application is necessary.