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Scholarships

The School of Communication is honored to offer many scholarships to students in the major. Most awards are merit-based and represent the judgment of our faculty about standout performance in well-defined areas.  These scholarships signify both the prestige of faculty judgment about a student’s academic performance, but also the monetary award. A few of our awards are need-based, but still reflect faculty judgment about outstanding performance in specific areas of Communication or Journalism.  Most awards carry the name of distinguished alumni, prominent citizens or former professors or administrators in the School, as honored by the donors.  

During the 2025-2026 academic year, more than $150,000 in scholarships and awards were given to students in the School of Communication. Each award carries a minimum amount of $1000, and students are recognized for their achievements by the School's faculty and staff at the annual Scholarship Award Ceremony held each Spring.

The 2026-2027 School of Communication Scholarship Application is now open and available!  Applications may be submitted up until 11:59pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

In order to prepare your application:  

  1. Review the scholarship award descriptions below to determine which awards you are most eligible to apply for.
  2. Draft a well-crafted justification for why you are the most deserving candidate for each specific award. As Communication and/or Journalism majors, we expect your submissions to be persuasive, clear, and reflect your best writing skills.
  3. To strengthen your responses, we highly encourage you to review each award's descriptions and criteria carefully. Pay close attention to each award's values and tailor your justifications to align with those specific qualities or achievements. Highlight relevant experiences, skills, and accomplishments directly connected to the award's purpose. A thoughtful and targeted approach will greatly enhance your application.
  4. Once you have assembled these responses, it’s time to apply!  The online application can be accessed on Qualtrics.  Please note, you must be a current major in the School in order to apply.
  5. Please note: Applications can only be submitted once per user, so please do not submit until you are ready!
  6. Feel free to contact with us any questions at comm@osu.edu. 

Sheldon M. Berman Memorial Endowed Fund 

This scholarship was established in honor of alumnus Sheldon M. Berman (B.A. 1963) with gifts from the estate of Judith Ann Berman (B.A. 1985, J.D. 1988).  This fund provides support to students who are majoring in public affairs journalism in the School of Communication and demonstrate financial need.

Marsha S. Bosley Memorial Scholarship

Established December 3, 2004 to honor Marsha S. Bosley, a 1976 journalism alumna, this award provides a scholarship to a highly committed junior year journalism major that works on The Lantern and has a minimum 3.25 GPA.

Brennan Family Award

This scholarship award is to recognize outstanding reporting or opinion writing in a series of articles or a body of work that addresses institutional or leadership accountability and examines the most challenging campus and societal issues without regard to popular opinion or the controversial nature of the subject.  Candidates must be undergraduate or graduate students who are journalists for The Lantern and have demonstrated a relentless pursuit of transparency and accountability from institutions and persons in positions of authority in the interest of freedom of information and better informed citizens.  Preference should be given to candidates who have been journalists for The Lantern for more than two semesters.

Don and Peg Brown Journalism Fund

The Don and Peg Brown Journalism Fund was established with gifts from Terrance Alan Brown (B.S. 1979) and provides one or more scholarships to undergraduate students majoring in Journalism and demonstrate financial need. Preference shall be given to candidates who demonstrate an interest in copy editing.

Michael V. DiSalle Scholarship

The Michael V. DiSalle Scholarship was established in 1961 through a gift from friends of the late governor of Ohio, Michael V. DiSalle.  The scholarship is intended to encourage the development of responsible journalism and communication practices at Ohio State.

William Drenten Memorial Scholarship

William Drenten was a broadcast journalist and OSU professor of Journalism.  Before joining the OSU faculty, Drenten worked as a news director, reporter and cameraman for WBNS-TV in Columbus, as well as a reporter for NBC and other networks.  This scholarship was established in Professor Drenten’s memory by his friends and colleagues in conjunction with a special gift from the WBNS stations.

Charles W. Durfey Memorial Scholarship

Charles W. Durfey graduated from the OSU School of Journalism in 1975.  Durfey worked as a reporter for the Cincinnati Post.  He was a Columbus native and the recipient of numerous journalism awards.  This scholarship is awarded each year to a student in the School who shows exceptional promise in news reporting.

Robert W. Ferguson Award for Excellence in Writing

This award was established in 1992 from the estate of Robert W. Ferguson. It provides awards to students in the School who excel in writing, as determined by the faculty.

John B. Fullen Scholarship

This award honors John B. Fullen who served as OSU alumni secretary for 39 years. Fullen was a good friend of the School and formerly a member of its professional advisory council.  He was editor of The Lantern in 1925.

Lester C. Getzloe Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established to honor the memory of the late Lester C. Getzloe, who taught in the School from 1921 to 1956.  This award is to be used for a scholarship or achievement award in journalism.

George E. Hammond Scholarship Fund in Communication

The George E. Hammond Scholarship Fund in Communication was established September 19, 2008, with an estate gift from George E. Hammond (B.A. 1956).  The annual distribution from this fund shall provide scholarships for deserving undergraduate students enrolled in the School of Communication, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, who demonstrate financial need.  Half of the recipients shall be majoring in public affairs journalism and half shall be majors in communication. The dean of the College and the director of the School shall be responsible for selecting scholarship recipients.

The Marcy Hill Terry Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1997, and was created through memorial gifts from Marcy’s parents, Robert E. Hill and Donna Avery Hill of Westerville; Marcy’s husband, David L. Terry of Columbus; and other family and friends. The annual income is to be used for one or more scholarships for junior or senior communication majors with a financial need, age 30 or older, who carry at least a 2.75 grade point average, with preference being given to students from rural Appalachia. 

William Randolph Hearst Scholarship

In 1960, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation began a program to encourage good reporting and writing in schools of journalism throughout the country.  At Ohio State, these grants provide scholarships to sophomores and juniors who have performed well in their journalism and communication studies.

Donald L. Kidwell Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in February 2000 with gifts from friends, relatives and colleagues of Donald L. Kidwell, who graduated from the School in 1957 and completed an illustrious 40-year career in radio, mostly in the Dayton area.  Employees at Connoisseur Communications in Connecticut honored his life with an endowment in his name.  This scholarship is for a student interested in a career in broadcasting.

George J. Kienzle Memorial Scholarship

The award, established in 1965 by a gift from the late Willard M. Kiplinger, is named in memory of Mr. Kienzle who served as director of the OSU School of Journalism.  A scholarship is given annually from this endowment as determined by the director of the School.

Ann Mack Communication Technology Fund

The School awards these scholarships to outstanding Communication majors specializing in the communication technology area of the major who demonstrate above-average academic achievement and involvement in activities that go beyond coursework, including research activities (e.g., working as a research assistant on projects related to communication technology, presenting their work on communication technology at conferences) and internships related to communication technology (with priority given to those who are not paid).

Ohio Newspaper Fund Award

This award was established in 1959 by gifts from the Advocate Printing Company of Newark, Ohio and the Lorain County Printers and Publishers Company.  The gifts were presented in memory of Charles H. Spencer and A.C. Hudnutt.  This scholarship goes to an outstanding student in the School.

William H. Newton Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1951 to honor William Henry Newton.  Newton was a 1933 journalism graduate of OSU who served as a foreign correspondent for Scripps-Howard.  He was stationed in New Delhi, India at the time of his death. This scholarship is awarded on the basis of outstanding reporting for The Lantern.

James E. Pollard Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1981 by family and friends of the late James E. Pollard, former director of the School of Journalism, who served as university historian until 1956.  This scholarship is awarded to a Journalism or Communication student displaying above-average academic achievement in the School.

Robert K. Richards Memorial Award

This award was established in 1969 to honor Richards, a 1934 graduate of the OSU School of Journalism, who served as editor of The Lantern that year.  Richards enjoyed a successful career in journalism and public relations. He served as president of a Washington DC public relations firm and as an executive of the National Association of Broadcasters. 

Robert E. Schaefer Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1981 by a gift from the late Robert E. Schaefer, a 1935 graduate of OSU.  Schaefer was the former publisher of the Chillicothe Gazette.  The scholarship is to support students enrolled in the School who display above-average academic achievement.  If all other qualifications are similar, applicants from Ross County, Ohio, are given preference.

Walter W. Seifert Award

This award was established with gifts from Hill and Knowlton, Inc., to honor Walter W. Seifert, retired OSU professor of journalism and founder of PRSSA.  The award recognizes an outstanding member of the OSU Chapter of PRSSA.  Selections are made by the academic and professional advisors of the OSU chapter of PRSSA.

The Stairway to Heaven Scholarship

This scholarship fund has been established by a gift from 1975 graduate, Denny Lynch.  It is awarded to undergraduate students enrolled in the School studying public affairs journalism or strategic communication and who demonstrate financial need and have proven academic success.  Recipients are selected by the School’s director in consultation with the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid.

Judy Stewart Mesenburg Award

The Judy Stewart Mesenburg Award was established in 1982 in memory of a remarkable young woman whose death in 1981 cut short a promising career in public relations.  As an OSU student, Mrs. Mesenburg was an innovator - active in the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and other organizations.  She once wrote that “professionalism is something one works at everyday . .  a manner of conduct, maintaining a level of perfection, and working towards a goal.”  The late William Monteith, a friend of Mesenburg’s family, provided this scholarship for a student in the School who displays this same goal of professional excellence.

School of Communication Top Scholar Awards

These awards are given to the top student who represents the best in the School’s majors – public affairs journalism and communication.

The Paul Underwood Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a student in the School who exhibits exceptional writing and reporting qualities.  The endowment was established by the Trustees of The Ohio State University in 1991 to honor Paul Underwood, former professor of journalism at OSU.  Prior to his appointment in the school, Underwood worked as an editor and foreign correspondent with the Associated Press and the New York Times as a foreign news analyst and editorial writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer.