School of Journalism and Mass Communication Scholarships

Katharine Futch Scholarship

This scholarship was created by a bequest from Katharine Faber Futch, Class of 1940, to recognize outstanding achievement and potential in an incoming first-year student. This renewable scholarship is awarded to a student in any SJMC major who demonstrates professionalism, intelligence and integrity.

Scholarship Specifics

• Scholarship is renewable annually so long as the student maintains a 3.25 GPA or higher.

Scholarship Requirements

The recipient of the Futch scholarship must be:

• An entering first-year student at Drake University with a major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
• A student who demonstrates academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
• A student whose accomplishments demonstrate the promise to become one of SJMC's outstanding students.
• A student with demonstrated financial need.

Sheila A. Wolfe Award for Excellence in News Journalism

This annual scholarship was established by 1952 journalism alumna Sheila Wolfe, a longtime employee of the Chicago Tribune. The scholarship is designed to support an entering first-year student who is pursuing a career in non-broadcast news journalism. Preference is given to a student graduating from a Chicago-area high school, and also a student who has worked on a high school newspaper.

Scholarship Specifics

• The award is renewable annually so long as the student remains a Multimedia Journalism major and maintains a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Recipients are strongly encouraged to seek and secure as many news internships as possible to supplement academic credits.

Scholarship Requirements

The recipient of the Sheila A. Wolfe Award must be:

• An entering first-year student at Drake University.
• A student who demonstrates academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
• A Multimedia Journalism major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
• A student with demonstrated financial need.

Professor Robert Woodward Endowed Scholarship for Multimedia Journalism Majors

This scholarship was created in honor of Robert D. Woodward, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Journalism emeritus. The scholarship is designed to support an entering first-year student who is pursuing a career in a non-broadcast news journalism.

Scholarship Specifics

• The award varies from year to year based on the endowment earnings.
• It is renewable annually so long as the student remains a Multimedia Journalism major and maintains a 3.25 GPA or higher.

Scholarship Requirements

The recipient of the Woodward scholarship must be:

• An entering first-year student at Drake University.
• A student who demonstrates academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
• A Multimedia Journalism major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
• A student who has a clear understanding and passion for Professor Woodward's legacy by demonstrating a depth of knowledge of his key tenets - accuracy, ethical decision making, and reporting and editing the facts - by participating in student media or other related activities.
• A student with demonstrated financial need.

E.T. Meredith Scholarship

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

Scholarship Specifics

• The award is renewable annually for up to four years so long as the student maintains academic progress toward earning a Magazine and Brand Media major and maintains a GPA of 3.00 or higher.

Scholarship Requirements

The recipient of the E.T. Meredith Scholarship must be:

• An entering first-year student at Drake University
• A student who demonstrates academic excellence with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
• A Magazine and Brand Media major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication
• A student with demonstrated financial need.

SJMC Dean Team

School of Journalism & Mass Communication (SJMC) Dean Team Scholars will be immersed in the media profession through networking with media professionals, leadership development opportunities, tours of media companies, and meetings with the Dean during their first year at Drake. 

The SJMC Dean Team Scholars program elements include:

• $500 first-year Dean Team Scholars award for books and incidental expenses
• Monthly Dean Team Scholars meetings with the Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication during a Scholar’s first year at Drake
• Networking opportunities with SJMC National Advisory Council members
• Leadership development opportunities including mentorship of future SJMC Dean Team Scholars
• Immersion in the media profession through agency tours, visits to major employers, meetings with industry leaders, and networking with media professionals

Application Instructions

The deadline to apply is January 23, 2025. The following must all be submitted by the Jan. 23 deadline to be considered:

• A complete application to Drake, including all required application materials.
• The Journalism and Mass Communication Scholarships Application.
• A FAFSA is not required, but is strongly recommended as some donor-funded scholarships are based on need. (If you have not done so already, you may submit a FAFSA at fafsa.gov and use Drake's code 001860.)

Please log in using your Office of Admission application credentials. (If you have not yet started your admission application, you must start it before you can set up a scholarship application.

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For students entering one of Drake’s joint undergraduate/graduate degree paths, refer to the table below to see how undergraduate awards (including Fine Arts Scholarships) are impacted.