Scholarships and Awards

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Applications are due by April 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

The C&J department offers students from the various curriculum tracks the opportunity to apply for any number of scholarships or financial awards.

Scholarship recipients will be notified by mid-May.

For more information, you can check out the College of Arts and Sciences scholarship information page and the UNM scholarships page. You also can reach out to the C&J front office with questions. 

Available Scholarships

Scholarship Information
Name of ScholarshipAcademic AreaRequirementsAmount
Albuquerque Press Club EndowmentAny C&J MajorNew Mexico H.S. Graduates; and C&J major. 

This endowed scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving journalism or communication scholar who is a graduate of a New Mexico high school and who has demonstrated a high standard of academic ability. 

$300
Jim Crow Memorial ScholarshipJournalismStudents must provide Tribal Member Number; 2.5 GPA$1,000
Joanne D. Dowler Scholarship for Excellence in Intercultural CommunicationIntercultural CommunicationIntercultural Emphasis in Communication; 3.0 GPA$1,000
Eilene C. Durgin Memorial Scholarship for Multimedia JournalismPrint, Broadcast, Radio and/or Multimedia JournalismMust be a member of a women's organization, or have studied women's issues; undergraduate student; GPA of 2.5 minimum; demonstrate financial need.$500
Carolyn Hunsley ScholarshipAny C&J MajorMust be a member of a women's organization, or have studied women's issues$300
W.A. Kelleher ScholarshipJournalismSophomores or Juniors$500
Jeanette King ScholarshipJournalismPhotojournalists; 2.5 GPA. 

An endowed scholarship, this award is named for Jeanette King, a photography student of journalism in Communication & Journalism.  The fund was established by her family to support exceptional students majoring in Journalism with an emphasis on photojournalism.

$500

Sunny505 Award 


 

Strategic Communication 

 Concentration in Strategic Communication 

This prize involves a semester-long unpaid internship at Sunny505 and $1,000.

Kelly Richmond Award/Scholarship

Any C&J Major

Sophomore or above; GPA of 2.5 or higher; carrying a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester; works to pay expenses while going to school; preference for students working on the Daily Lobo OR who participated in debate OR demonstrate an interest in political science.

$700

NMPRSA Award/Scholarship

Any C&J MajorStudents specializing in public relations; applicants must submit a writing sample defining career goals in public relations. $500

Mark Holm Scholarship in Photojournalism 

The Mark Holm Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Photojournalism honors the life and work of Mark Holm and supports students studying photojournalism at the University of New Mexico. Students working at the Daily Lobo, UNM’s student newspaper, are preferred. A professional photojournalist for his adult life, Mark was a gifted storyteller, crafting a rolling narrative through the lens of his camera. He documented the human experience, capturing the painful, the beautiful, the mundane moments that collectively help us understand our world.  Mark saw tremendous value in photojournalism and the role it plays in society. A natural mentor, he served as an advisor to young photographers at the Daily Lobo, forming enduring professional relationships and personal friendships with students who became gifted photojournalists in their own right.

Eligibility:

  1. Be an undergraduate student at UNM.
  2. Have interest and/or experience in photojournalism.

Preference may be given to eligible students who work for the Daily Lobo.

To apply, submit: 

  1. Online form via C&J scholarship web site.
  2. Three sample photographs (in .jpg format) demonstrating news or feature coverage.

Note:

It is not permissible to alter the basic reality of a photograph.
No removal or insertion of objects from the photo.
No cloning pixels to create a new image or add to an image.
No radical color changes.

$1,000

Gail R. Rosenblum Scholarship for Solutions Journalism

This award recognizes C&J student contributions to Solutions Journalism, an approach to reporting that elevates how individuals and communities are creating solutions to social problems. 

Eligibility: 

  1. Applicants must be pursuing a BA or MA degree in Communication & Journalism.
  2. Demonstrate a passion for solutions-based reporting (online, print, or broadcast).

Preference may be given to undergraduates.

To apply, submit: 

  1. Online form via C&J scholarship web site.
  2. One sample news story demonstrating Solutions Journalism approach
Not currently available