Student Publications Scholarship (Shorthorn Pulitzer Club Award)

The Shorthorn Pulitzer Club Award, funded through the Student Publications operating budget, recognizes a current Shorthorn staff member for demonstrated excellence in photojournalism in his or her work for The Shorthorn. When The Dallas Morning News photographers won the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Shorthorn exes Brad Loper, Tom Fox and Michael Ainsworth were included in the Pulitzer citation. The Shorthorn scholarship for photographers, created with a donation from the Arlington Morning News during the Arlington newspaper wars of the 1990s, was renamed in their honor. Other Shorthorn exes, including Leslie White, now Morning News director of photography; Evans Caglage, and Mei-Chun Jau also contributed to this Pulitzer-winning coverage of Katrina and Rita.

A complete application for The Shorthorn Pulitzer Club Award must include:

1. The completed electronic application via MavScholarShop.
2. A well-focused, one- to two-page letter addressed to the Scholarship Committee (typed or computer-generated, single-spaced) explaining the student’s contributions to The Shorthorn this semester, what you hope to achieve in the student’s career and how the student’s work in Student Publications has helped you toward that goal. The letter is also a good place to provide a brief explanation and examples of how the student’s work this semester reflected and contributed to The Shorthorn’s digital-first publication strategy. This statement or letter must include information about the student’s career plans.
3. The student’s resume (one page)
4. Samples (no fewer than five, no more than eight) that reflect the student’s work this semester for The Shorthorn. All work samples must be things you did this semester for The Shorthorn. Photos should include cutlines; links to videos or other multimedia work should include working links.
5. Information about the student’s academic status, which is pulled from your MyMav account as part of this application. If this is the student’s first semester at UTA and you do not yet have a UTA GPA, include an unofficial copy of the student’s transcript from the student’s previous school. (A photocopy of the student’s transcript is fine. It does not have to be an official transcript.)

Selection for all Student Publications scholarships and awards is based on the following:

1. The student’s contributions this semester to The Shorthorn/theshorthorn.com. Quality and quantity, initiative and timeliness of the student’s work will be among the criteria used in evaluating the student’s achievements in the student’s position this semester. Only work published in The Shorthorn (including theshorthorn.com) this semester will be considered.

2. The student’s motivation and determination to succeed: positive attitude and approach to the student’s Shorthorn/Student Publications position and to The Shorthorn and Student Publications, a demonstrated willingness to go the extra mile and exceed minimums expected, ability to work as part of a team, dependability, etc.

3. The student’s academic accomplishment. All scholarship and award recipients must be in good academic standing with the university, currently be enrolled for at least six semester hours at UTA (unless fewer than that are needed for graduation at the end of this semester) and be making steady progress toward a degree.

4. The student’s career plans. Intent to pursue a career in journalism or a field related to the award being presented will be considered a plus (though not a requirement) for consideration for all other scholarships and awards.

Basic requirements for all scholarships and awards include the following:
• You must be in compliance with all requirements for working at The Shorthorn and in Student Publications.
• You must be in good academic standing with the university and be eligible to receive a scholarship.
• You must have held a staff position this semester that reflects the work being recognized in the scholarship or award.
• Priority consideration will be given to applicants who have been on staff the whole semester.
• You may apply for more than one scholarship or award, but no student may receive more than one Student Publications end-of-semester scholarship or award in any single semester.
• Selection committee members have the option of not awarding any scholarship or award if they conclude performance in that area has not met the level of accomplishment that these scholarships and awards are intended to recognize. Quality of work samples submitted with applications will be a major factor in deciding whether a scholarship or award will be awarded this semester.

A recipient will forfeit the full amount of any scholarship or award if:
• He or she fails to earn a minimum of 6 credit hours at UTA this semester unless the student completed a degree this semester and needed fewer than 6 credit hours to do so.
• He or she is not in good academic standing with the university after grades for this semester are posted.

Award
$750
Scopes
Student Affairs - Student Publications
Deadline
11/29/2023
Supplemental Questions
  1. Submit one letter of recommendation from an educator, mentor, supervisor, and/or community leader who can attest to the candidate’s leadership abilities and involvement in leadership related activities. You can upload the document here or email the department email
  2. What is your current position at the Shorthorn?
  3. When did you begin working at The Shorthorn (semester and year)?
  4. How many semesters have you been on The Shorthon staff?
  5. When is your anticipated graduation date (semester and year)?
  6. If you are not graduating this semester, do you plan to return to The Shorthorn staff?
  7. Submit a well-focused, one- to two-page letter addressed to the Scholarship Committee (typed or computer-generated, single-spaced) explaining the your contributions to The Shorthorn this semester, what you hope to achieve in the in your career and how the your work in Student Publications has helped you toward that goal.
  8. Submit samples (no fewer than five, no more than eight) that reflect your work this semester for The Shorthorn. All work samples must be things you did this semester for The Shorthorn.
  9. Submit your resume (one page)
  10. If this is the student’s first semester at UTA and you do not yet have a UTA GPA, include an unofficial copy of the student’s transcript from the student’s previous school. (A photocopy of the student’s transcript is fine. It does not have to be an official transcript.)
  11. Show 5 more