2024 AAJA Vincent Chin Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship awards $1,500 to a student journalist for an insightful and articulate essay related to Vincent Chin’s life, death and legacy.
Eligibility and Rules
- Must be a current AAJA student member
- Demonstrate a commitment to AAJA’s mission in the answer to the essay question
- Must be an undergraduate student enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours) at an accredited college or university (including junior and community) in the United States or one of its territories
- Must be currently taking or planning to take journalism courses and/or pursuing journalism as a career
- Applicants must demonstrate the following:
- journalistic excellence by submitting current works (digital, photography, video/audio), and
- a strong interest in pursuing journalism as a career
- a commitment to community involvement.
Application Requirements
- Resume
- Transcript
- At least one letter of recommendation
- Work samples
- Brief statement outlining financial need
- Answer one of the following essay questions:
- Could it happen again? The attack on Vincent Chin occurred during a time in which Asians, specifically Japanese, were blamed for U.S. unemployment. People literally bashed Japanese cars with sledgehammers. Video and photos of such acts were shown in the news media. Few people connected them to potential attacks on real people. Does symbolic violence make it more acceptable to attack people? Does this climate exist against other people today? What can be done?
- How are Asian Americans one people? Asian Americans overcame many differences in rallying together to seek justice after Vincent Chin’s killing. They came from different cultures and language backgrounds. They brought histories of being foes as often as being allies. In the Detroit area, though, they decided that an attack on a Chinese American man, assumed to be Japanese, was a danger and an injustice to all. They united in protest. Some call this the start of a pan-Asian consciousness in the United States. How does life in the United States make people from so many nationalities one group?
- Protest or conform? Some Asian Americans were reluctant to join the Vincent Chin cause. They had been pursuing success by getting along in the mainstream. Some had been acculturated to not make trouble or call attention to themselves. Yet a group of people began writing letters, visiting the media and protesting in the streets. This question about whether to protest or conform comes to every one of us. Although the stakes are not as high as justice over the death of a young man, we are all confronted at work or in other groups to decide: When and how do you make a stand?
- Who was Lily Chin? The Vincent Chin trials paint the portrait of a mother in anguish. We frequently ask who was Vincent Chin or who killed him. The emergence of his mother as a strong voice is a compelling story too. Describe her life and her legacy.
To find more information about the scholarship and about Vincent Chin, visit our website. Read some past examples of Vincent Chin essays on AAJA Defined.
DEADLINE:
The application deadline is March 21, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Questions? Email support@aaja.org.
2024 William Woo Print/Digital News Internship Grant
This grant supports AAPIs pursuing journalism careers in print or digital news students who have secured a summer internship. The $2,000 grant is to defray living costs during the internship.
Eligibility and Rules
- Must be an undergraduate student enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours) at an accredited college or university (including junior and community) in the United States or one of its territories.
- Must be committed to AAJA’s mission
- Must have a serious interest in pursuing print or digital journalism as a career
- Must have already secured a summer internship at a print or digital news outlet before applying
- Must be a current AAJA member
- This stipend must be used toward living and transportation expenses during the internship. The selected candidate will sign a memorandum of understanding acknowledging this.
Application Requirements
- Resume
- One letter of recommendation
- A letter verifying your internship
- A brief statement of financial need
- Answer the following question: In 500 words or less, state why you want to pursue a career in print or digital journalism, what you hope to gain from your internship experience, and why AAJA's mission is important to you.
To learn more about this scholarship and AAJA, visit our website.
DEADLINE:
The application deadline is 11:59 ET on March 21, 2024. Questions? Email support@aaja.org.
2024 Sam Chu Lin and Lloyd LaCuesta Broadcast Internship Grants
A) One internship grant in the amount of $500 will be awarded to a student broadcaster in honor of the late Sam Chu Lin. This grant is open to journalists working in local TV news. B) One grant in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to an aspiring male television broadcaster from the Lloyd LaCuesta Scholarship Fund. This internship grant of $1,000 will be awarded to an aspiring AAPI male television broadcaster who has secured a summer internship at a local TV news station. The funds are to help pay for expenses related to the internship.
Applicants may apply to both grants if they meet eligibility requirements for both grants.
Eligibility and Rules:
- Must be a full-time college student or a recent graduate who has graduated within the last year.
- Must have secured a summer internship before applying.
- The stipend must be used for living expenses and/or transportation during your internship. Grantees will be required to sign a waiver acknowledging this.
- Must be a current AAJA student member.
Application Requirements:
- Resume
- Letter of recommendation
- Letter verifying your internship
- A brief statement explaining your financial need
- Answer to this question: In 250 words or less, state why you want to pursue a career in broadcast journalism, what you hope to gain from your internship experience, and why AAJA's mission is important to you.
To learn more about Sam Chu Lin and Lloyd LaCuesta, and AAJA, visit our website.
DEADLINE:
The application deadline is 11:59 ET on March 21, 2024. Questions? Email support@aaja.org.
VOICES is a student fellowship program that provides aspiring journalists with career-ready skills to succeed in the continually-evolving media landscape. The program’s mission is to help a diverse group of aspiring journalists understand how audiences engage with them, how communities view the work they produce and how they can understand the impact of their work. By nurturing relationships between students and professional volunteers, VOICES also gives students the opportunity to tap into mentors’ networks and begin their own.
This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students interested in journalism. We are looking for students who are interested in producing a long-form, in-depth news project over the course of the summer. We want students who are excellent storytellers and interested in new technologies and story forms. Reporters, social media strategists, designers, developers, data engineers, podcasters, broadcasters and bloggers are all welcome to apply.
The program this year will consist of summer-long training and project work that culminates at the AAJA National Convention, which will be in Austin, Texas from August 7 to 11, 2024.
As a VOICES fellow, students will:
- Create meaningful editorial work by working in student groups to pitch and produce a long-form story
- Attend virtual trainings throughout the summer led by industry leaders
- Build lasting relationships with their editors and other AAJA professionals
- Be a part of AAJA's National Convention as attendees and presenters
- Meet and interview with recruiters from major news companies
Past fellows have gone onto internships and jobs at news companies such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Frontline and more. Former VOICES students and editors are now Pulitzer Prize winners, documentarians, public relations professionals, broadcast anchors and newsroom editors. Above all, VOICES is a community that lasts far beyond one summer – it's a community that students will be a part of for a lifetime. To view past work by fellows, visit the VOICES website.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I also intern or work somewhere else while I participate in VOICES over the summer?
Yes! Most of our students intern for another organization over the summer. The workload is meant to complement your internship, not supersede it. However, every student must be able to attend the national convention. If you are accepted into the program, we are happy to reach out to your internship supervisor if needed.
How much experience do I need to have to be accepted?
Minimal experience. We expect all participants to have certain baseline reporting abilities and experience in order to be accepted into the program. However, students do not need to have prior experience in audio to do an audio project; one of our goals is to push students outside their comfort zone and learn new things.
What is covered as a VOICES participant?
AAJA will pay for fellows' travel, accommodations, meals and registration fees to attend the in-person portion of VOICES at #AAJA24.
I am a recent graduate. Can I still apply?
Yes, if you graduated from an undergraduate or graduate program no earlier than Spring 2024, you are eligible to apply. If you will be graduating from high school in Spring 2024, you are eligible to apply.
What is the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy?
As an AAJA program, VOICES follows the AAJA convention Covid-19 policy. If you have any questions or need an exemption, please reach out to support@aaja.org.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: March 7, 2024, 11:59 p.m. PT