In the 2025-26 school year, we provided grants to 24 universities and 19 community colleges, benefiting 44 students. Here are their bios.
I. A-Mark Journalism Master’s Scholarships
1. American University, Washington D.C. – Terrance Williams
Terrance Williams plans to work as a foreign correspondent. He previously served as a senior information technology manager for the U.S. Army, where he managed communications operations and cybersecurity. Williams holds a BA in Political Science from Howard University and an MA in IT Management from Webster University.
2. Arizona State University – Elizabeth Tomlin
Elizabeth Tomlin plans to become an accountability- and solutions-focused reporter. She has reported for The Commercial Dispatch in Columbus, Mississippi, and The Reflector at Mississippi State University, and she currently works as a multimedia specialist creating training media for the U.S. military.
3. The City University of New York (CUNY) – Nazeefa Ahmed
Nazeefa Ahmed previously served as editor-in-chief of her campus newspaper and interned at Science Magazine. She is interested in a career in science reporting, covering topics like augmented reality technologies, rocket engineering, and new diagnostic tools. Nazeefa intends to pursue a data journalism specialization related to investigative and accountability journalism.
4. DePaul University, Illinois – Peter Jurich
Peter Jurich is pursuing a master’s degree in journalism with a focus on the intersection of investigative reporting and sports. Peter was accepted into the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence Advanced Reporting Course, and the class had an investigative piece published on nbcchicago.com.
5. Hofstra University, New York – Jonathan Padilla
Jonathan Padilla is a master’s in journalism student who has experience reporting for Hofstra’s radio station. His goal is to be an investigative journalist exposing the problems of society. As a reporter, he wants to celebrate the small moments that cause significant change in a person’s life.
6. Michigan State University – Emily Autry
Emily Autry is interested in producing long-form investigative journalism that interrogates local and national politics while centering the human stories that lie at the heart of law and policy. Through her journalism, she hopes to be an advocate for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and those with mental health needs.
7. Morgan State University, Maryland – Sanaya Warner
Sanaya Warner studied political science as an undergrad at Morgan and is interested in becoming a producer covering the legal system as it intersects with politics. She is currently studying under Pulitzer Prize winner E.R. Shipp, MSNBC substitute host Jason Johnson, and attorney Amos Jones.
8. New York University – Tram Nguyen
Tram Nguyen is an incoming graduate student to be enrolled in the Literary Reportage concentration. This concentration places equal focus on elegant writing and rigorous reporting for nonfiction books, articles, and podcasts along the lines of This American Life and Serial.
9. Northeastern University, Massachusetts – Safrin Begum
Safrin Begum is an experienced journalist with an already strong background in investigative reporting across some of India’s premier news outlets, including The Indian Express and The Hindu. Her work ranges from social justice and education to crime and community issues, all of which reflect her dedication to uncovering the truth in her stories. Currently, she is the Co-Editor at The Global Observer, Northeastern’s only international student magazine run by student reporters.
10. San José State University, California – Kevin Wing
Kevin Wing is a mid-career journalist with experience in print, radio and TV news, is the recipient of two local Emmy awards. He is doing freelance work for KNTV NBC Bay Area while pursuing his M.S. degree at San Jose State University. He wants to become knowledgeable about the ethical uses of AI as he continues to pursue his career as a TV reporter/producer in a rapidly changing future.
11. Syracuse University, New York – Sydney Cuillier
Sydney Cuillier is a Broadcast and Digital Journalism graduate student who stands out for her initiative, commitment, and growth. She has produced early stories that highlighted marginalized communities with care and responsibility. Faculty consistently described her as a thoughtful, proactive, and impact-driven journalist who is deeply committed to her development as a storyteller.
12. Temple University, Pennsylvania – Ashley Lovelace
Ashley Lovelace won a 2024 Student Production Sports Emmy® Award (Southeast Region) for the mini-documentary The Hidden Sport – National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She is a former Editor-in-Chief of The Southern Digest and has been an ESPN guest voice and featured student journalist.
13. University of Arizona – Brenda Machado
Brenda Machado is pursuing dual master’s degrees in Bilingual Journalism and Latin American Studies. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Machado is a first-generation college student. She hopes to apply her writing, multimedia experience and data-reporting abilities in roles with media outlets focused on human rights and immigration.
14. University of Arkansas – Anne-Elise Tidwell
Anne-Elise Tidwell earned her B.A. in Journalism at the School of Journalism and Strategic Media before continuing on to pursue a master’s degree. She has shown exceptional dedication to investigative reporting through her work with Travelers and Hill magazines. In her M.A. studies, Anne-Elise plans to focus on uncovering the overlooked history of Arkansas prison farms, using rigorous investigative methods and long-form storytelling to bring underrepresented stories to light.
15. University of California, Berkeley – Zoe Meyer
Zoe Meyer completed her B.A. in Journalism at Denison University in 2023 then worked as a reporter for the Sierra Sun and Tahoe Daily Tribune in Truckee, California. “What drives me is uncovering raw, unfiltered stories — the kind that reveal something previously unseen, or unspoken,” Meyer says. “I’m especially drawn to narratives that give people a voice, particularly those often left unheard. My background in psychology informs how I interview, listen, and write — always with empathy, always with curiosity.”
16. University of Georgia – Allison Mawn
Allison Mawn did her undergraduate degree in journalism and economics with a minor in American Sign Language, before going on to pursue her master’s degree in journalism. She has been a business reporting intern at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a digital producer intern at 11Alive and a freelance contributor for the Georgia Bulletin. She has served numerous positions at The Red & Black, the student run newspaper at UGA, including editor in chief, podcast editor and news editor. She was also on the team that finished in the top three in the nation in the 2024 Reynolds Journalism Institution Student Innovation Competition.
17. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Kaniz Fatema
Kaniz Fatema has worked as a journalist with The Business Standard in Bangladesh for over four years, covering human rights and gender-based violence. Her reporting on migration earned Best Reporting at the 10th Migration Media Award in 2025. As a graduate student, her master’s project examines the evolving abortion access landscape in Illinois.
18. University of Memphis, Tennessee – Shelby Smith
Shelby Smith is currently pursuing her Master’s in Open-Source Investigative Reporting at the University of Memphis. She is an intern at the Institute for Public Service Reporting, and has also reported for Prism.
19. University of Missouri – Laiba Zai
Laiba Zai is pursuing an M.A. Journalism with a focus on Investigative and Political Reporting. “I plan to pursue a career in investigative and political journalism, focusing on issues of governance, accountability, and digital rights,” Zai says. “During my time at the Missouri School of Journalism, I hope to strengthen my reporting and storytelling skills to produce impactful, ethical journalism.” Zai has produced investigative and political stories published by Pakistani outlets such as Nukta and ‘The Knowledge Forum.’
20. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Kennedy Thomason
Kennedy Thomason was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The O’Colly, as an undergraduate at Oklahoma State University. Kennedy has interned in Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C., covering state and national government. She hopes to be a statehouse reporter, delivering news to citizens who need it most.
21. University of Oregon – Danilo Pascaretta
Danilo Pascaretta received his B.A. from the University of California, Davis, in Technocultural Studies. He is a U.S. Army veteran of 7 years now pursuing a master’s in multimedia journalism. He has experience with collecting, editing, and producing content for broadcast and digital platforms, as he was a mass communications public affairs specialist overseas with the army.
22. University of Southern California – Senna Omar
Senna Omar is pursuing an M.A. in Specialized Journalism with a focus on investigative and open source reporting. Senna was the editor-in-chief of the Highlander newspaper at UC Riverside and was selected as the scholarship recipient due to strong professional and academic recommendations.
23. University of Utah – Yixuan Wang
Yixuan Wang earned her undergrad in Journalism from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She’s worked as a video journalist, news reporter, and multimedia journalist. Her research interests center on the intersection of digital journalism, content distribution, and platform dynamics.
24. West Virginia University – Sophie Machesky
Sophie Machesky was editor-in-chief of her college newspaper at Penn State Fayette. She also freelances at the Uniontown, PA-based paper, The Herald-Standard. “I am a young, curious, and digitally savvy worker with an affection for reading and writing traditional news,” Machesky says. “With consistent changes in the media landscape, furthering my education in journalism will aid me in making the best choices for consumer-specific news generation.”
II. A-Mark College Journalism Scholarships (starting 2026-27)
III. A-Mark Student Journalism Awards
1. Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington – Gaebrielle Manikan
Gaebrielle Manikan is a second-year student at Bellevue College, and serves as the Editor in Chief of The Watchdog, the student newspaper. In her role, she leads the newsroom by shaping editorial direction, supervising staff, and ensuring all deadlines and publication standards are met. She also oversees the website, social media, and the final assembly of each issue.
2. Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, Texas – Victor Herrera
Victor Herrera writes for the student newspaper, The Foghorn News, and serves as Opinion Editor. He is also secretary of the Del Mar College Press Club and a copy editor for The Siren literary magazine. Victor plans to pursue a career in journalism.
3. Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, California – Gage Walker
Gage Walker began as a staff writer for The Inquirer covering the 2024 elections and growing impacts of AI in higher ed, and quickly became the paper’s editor-in-chief. His reporting on Bay Area protests during the second Trump administration won him a statewide 1st place award in news writing from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, and he is a regular paid freelance contributor covering city hall and politics for Martinez News and Views. Gage plans to attend UC Berkeley in Fall 2026.
4. El Camino College, Torrance, California – Nikki Yunker
Nikki Yunker currently serves as editor-in-chief of Warrior Life the student magazine. Prior to this role, she served two semesters as editor-in-chief of The Union, the student news group. Under her leadership, the newsroom published a story about a student’s F-1 visa being revoked, despite pressure from the college administration not to run the story. Across all platforms, Nikki has earned top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. An impactful story she reported on the college’s Basic Needs Center won First Place Best of Show News Story by the ACP. Nikki also contributed to The Union’s local coverage of the national White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter story and wrote a feature story about a zookeeper alumna that was quickly designated a “Best of SNO” piece by Student Newspapers Online. Nikki’s staff editorial on campus construction led the college to hire another technician and another on food pantry inconsistencies and wait times resulted in clearer practices.
5. Fullerton College, Fullerton, California – Elycia Young
Elycia Young is editor-in-chief of The Hornet student news outlet, where they oversee all desks, publish a weekly newsletter, and contribute photography, videography and reporting on breaking news and enterprise stories. Previously, Eli was the photo editor of Inside Fullerton magazine and was an editorial intern at Los Angeles Magazine. They have won multiple awards for photography, video storytelling, illustration and social justice reporting in student journalism competitions. They will be transferring to Cal State San Bernardino in the fall.
6. Lane Community College, Eugene, Oregon – Agostinho Da Silva
Agostinho Da Silva serves as Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper. He has led student reporters through Board of Education meetings and protest coverage, and his protest reporting was picked up by the US Press Freedom Tracker. He plans to work for a local newspaper upon graduation.
7. Laney College, Oakland, California – Desmond Meagley
Desmond Meagley has been on the staff of The Peralta Citizen for the past two and a half years. Desmond recently won a James Madison Freedom of Information Award from the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for exemplary leadership as Editor in Chief of the paper during 2025. He is a California Press Foundation scholar and serves on the board of the Northern California chapter of the National Association for LGBTQ+ Journalists. He received an Honorable Mention from NPR for the audio story he produced about a shooting on the Laney College campus in 2025 that took the life of the athletic director. Currently he is a Newscast intern at KQED working on general assignment reporting.
8. Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, New Jersey – Jyotika “Jo” Aggarwal
Jyotika “Jo” Aggarwal currently serves as Editor in Chief of The College VOICE student newspaper. Under her leadership, The VOICE was ranked 5th in the nation among two-year college newspapers and took home the New Jersey Press Foundation’s top honor, General Excellence, along with the Sweepstakes award for most total awards in the state. Jo took first place individually in News Writing, Investigative Reporting, and News Photography.
9. Mesa Community College, Mesa, Arizona – Gwendolyn Owen
Gwendolyn Owen is a second-year student at Mesa Community College and serves as the news and photo editor of the Mesa Legend student newspaper. She has reported on local politics, education, and community college issues. In addition to her writing, she has developed a strong multimedia portfolio that includes social media storytelling and photography. Gwen will transfer to Arizona State University to pursue a degree in journalism because, as she stated, “values purpose and service to the public.”
10. Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida – Yazid Guelida and Ninette Portero
Yazid Guelida, 20, graduated from Miami Dade College in April. He served as editor-in-chief of The Reporter, the student newspaper at MDC during the 2025-2026 school year. Guelida, who aspires to be an investigative journalist, will attend Emerson College in Boston this fall, studying journalism.
Ninette Portero, 20, is a mass communication/journalism major at Miami Dade College. She served as the Kendall Campus Bureau Chief/Forum Editor and a news writer for The Reporter during the 2025-2026 school year. Portero, who aspires to be an investigative journalist, has not decided where she will transfer to but has been accepted into the University of Florida.
11. Monroe County Community College, Monroe, Michigan – Abby Carr
Abby Carr is a second-year student at Monroe County Community College, serves as the assistant editor of the Agora, the campus newspaper. She has written about administrative and program changes, student resources, and worked with the Agora’s editor to live report on a bomb threat to the college. Abby plans to transfer to a four-year university to major in journalism and hopes to pursue a journalism career focused on bringing positive social change.
12. Pasadena City College, Pasadena, California – Zaynab Tall
Zaynab Tall is an English and Journalism major from Pasadena City College with a passion for writing and reporting. She served as Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, and a staff writer for PCC’s Courier. During her time there, she participated in and won several journalistic competitions from on-the-spot to mail-in contests. An article she wrote on Black retention rates led to the creation of a Pro-Black program at her college where her piece will be required reading. In the future, she hopes to do writing-related work and she will be transferring to USC next fall.
13. San Antonio College, San Antonio, Texas – Natalia Edwards
Natalia Edwards is an award-winning journalist who served as editor-in-chief of the Sundial. She graduated from SAC in December 2025 with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts and completed a Level II Certificate in Multimedia Journalism in May. She will begin studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio in fall 2026 as a member of UTSA’s first cohort of students in the school’s new Bachelor of Arts in Journalism program.
14. Santa Ana College, Santa Ana, California – Ash Mojica
Ash Mojica plans to produce community-driven content and fill in information gaps. They previously served as the managing editor of the student newspaper, el Don. Their latest projects include working as an editor for the online magazine Into Hinterland Literary and publishing an article in the online reader-led publication Readin’ Magazine.
15. Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona – Jayla Planks
Jayla Planks began training as a staff reporter at SCC’s Northeast Valley News in winter 2026. During her training, Jayla drove two hours each way to cover U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva speaking outside of a former prison that was to be converted into an ICE detention center. Jayla was chosen as SCC’s first A-Mark recipient due to her desire and passion to become a journalist.
16. Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio – Noah Schlarman
Noah Schlarman is a second-year student at Sinclair Community College. He started as a reporter at the Clarion and quickly worked his way up to the executive editor position. He has written many important stories, including one about how Ohio’s Senate Bill 1 reshaped higher education at Sinclair. He is active in the Dayton Journalism Lab and will be participating in the inaugural Dayton Journalism Summit in 2026.
17. Skyline College, San Bruno, California – Justin Kapsas
Justin Kapsas has served as an editor for The Skyline View for the past two years. He also interns for the San Mateo Daily Journal.
18. St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, Missouri – Robert Chamberlain
Robert Chamberlain served as editor-in-chief of The Scene. In this leadership role, he wrote numerous news stories and opinion columns, contributed photography, and played an active role in the publication’s outreach and student recruitment efforts. Robbie won several awards at the Missouri College Media Association conference. He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude from STLCC with a journalism major. Robbie plans to continue his journalism education by transferring to the University of Missouri’s prestigious Missouri School of Journalism in Fall 2026.
19. Tarrant County College, Hurst, Texas – Ashleigh Petrie
Ashleigh Petrie was the editor-in-chief of The Collegian, the student newspaper for the Tarrant County College District in Fort Worth, Texas. Ash has won 26 national, regional and statewide awards for her work, including being named the Two-Year Reporter of the Year in Texas by the state’s college media association. She is transferring to Brooklyn College in New York to pursue a degree and a career in journalism