The Asian American Journalists Association's Sports Task Force is pleased to offer several scholarship and fellowship opportunities for enrolled college students and young professionals to support their pursuit of careers in sports journalism and media. The selected fellowship winners must commit to a minimum of five hours of volunteer work for the AAJA Sports Task Force.

The AAJA Sports Task Force elevates the voices of Asian Americans in sports and encourages future Asian American sports journalists through mentorship and scholarship opportunities. 

AAJA membership is required for all applicants for the selected scholarship recipient. To join AAJA's Sports Task Force or to find out more about the group, please check the "Sports Task Force" box when becoming an AAJA member at aaja.org/join.

DEADLINE: April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT

Questions? Email support@aaja.org

Jimmie & Suey Fong Yee Fellowship

The AAJA Sports Task Force awards two $2,000 grants to students or recent graduates who are pursuing careers in sports journalism. The scholarship is intended to financially support the recipients’ registration, travel and lodging costs for AAJA’s 2026 National Convention from June 24 – June 28 being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Applicants will be selected on the basis of their demonstrated journalistic ability, financial need, strong commitment to the pursuit of a sports journalism career and dedication to AAJA’s mission.

The scholarships are made possible thanks to a donation made by Don Yee (of sports talent agency Yee & Dubin Sports, LLC.).

About Jimmie and Suey Fong Yee

Like many Chinese immigrants, Jimmie and Suey Fong Yee immigrated to the U.S. after the civil war. They settled in Sacramento and worked hard to create a new life for themselves and their young family. They endured many hardships, but they envisioned and achieved a better future for themselves and their children. 

They were proud of their Chinese heritage. One of the important values they taught their children was to be sympathetic to the plight, journey and struggle of others. Just as the Yees received help from others, it was their wish to return their good fortune by helping other Asians achieve their dreams.

About Don Yee

Donald H. Yee is a partner and founder of Yee & Dubin Sports, LLC., a sports management consulting firm that represents some of the nation’s leading professional athletes, coaches and broadcasters. Yee, a graduate of UCLA and the University of Virginia School of Law, also is a frequent speaker and writer on sports-related issues. He is a former adjunct professor of law at the University of Southern California law school and a visiting professor of law at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Eligibility and Rules

• Applicants must be an active AAJA member

For currently enrolled students:

• Applicants must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time with at least 12 credit units each semester at a junior college or university with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA
• Applicants must be currently taking or planning to take journalism courses and/or pursuing sports journalism as a career

For young professionals:

• Applicants must have graduated from a community college or university, including graduate school, within the past five (5) years.
• Applicants must be currently and actively pursuing sports journalism as a career

Note: Graduate students and young professionals will be judged against each other, while undergraduate students and those not attending college/university will be judged against each other.

Application Requirements:

• Resume
• School transcript for currently enrolled students, 
• Journalistic work samples
• Contact information for two references
• Essay (up to 1000 words) Explain why you want this scholarship, why you want to pursue sports journalism/media and how the financial support of this scholarship would help your long-term career goals. The essay should also answer all of the following questions: 1. What role or responsibility do journalists of color have in a modern press box? What importance does your ethnic or racial identity serve in the way you plan to cover sports as a professional journalist? 2. What makes you stand out from the thousands of students pursuing sports journalism as a career? What are your biggest weaknesses and how do you plan to continue growing as a journalist? 3. What is one issue important to Asian Americans in sports that is not covered enough or is poorly covered? How would you fix the coverage?
• Essay (up to 700 words) Explain how this financial support and attending the AAJA convention would help advance your sports journalism career. Candidates will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated journalistic ability, financial need, and commitment to the field of journalism.

This internship grant awards $1,500 each to up to two college juniors, seniors or graduate students who have secured an internship at a news outlet. Students from the Pacific Northwest or who attend a Northwest college or university are especially encouraged to apply, though a Northwest connection alone does not determine who receives a grant. Applicants who will be interning at small to medium sized outlets will receive priority. 

Eligibility and Rules

• Currently enrolled full-time at an accredited community college, junior college, college or university
• Must have secured a summer internship before applying for the internship grant. The stipend must be used for living expenses and/or transportation during your internship and may not be used for any college expenses. Grantees will be required to sign an agreement acknowledging this.
• Must have a serious interest in pursuing journalism as a career
• Must be an active AAJA member  

Application Requirements

• Resume
• One letter of recommendation
• A letter verifying your summer internship
• A brief statement describing any financial need
• In 500 words or less, state what kind of experience do you expect as an intern, describe your career goals and why AAJA's mission is important to you.

DEADLINE:

The application deadline is 11:59PM PT on April 30, 2026. Questions? Email support@aaja.org.

This internship grant awards $1,000 to a student broadcaster who has secured an internship at a news outlet, or journalists interested in or working in local TV news. 

Eligibility:

• Must be a full-time college student or have graduated within the last year
• Must secure a summer internship, verified by March 31, 2026
• The stipend must be used for living expenses and/or transportation during your internship
• Must be an active AAJA member

Application Requirements:

• Resume
• One letter of recommendation
• A letter verifying your summer internship before March 31, 2026
• A brief statement describing any financial need
• In 500 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.

Deadline: The application deadline is 11:59 PT on January 21. 2026. Questions? Email support@aaja.org.

Dinah Eng Leadership Fellowship Grant

This grant awards funds to current AAJA members in pursuit of professional development. Applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted into a professional development program. 

Candidates must commit to submitting a post for the AAJA website at the end of their training experience that highlights how the fellowship advanced them along their career path.

Eligibility

• Must have an active AAJA membership
• Must demonstrate leadership potential, or currently hold a management position
• Must have a serious interest in continuing pursuing journalism as a career

Application Requirements

• Resume
• One letter of recommendation
• A letter verifying your acceptance into a professional development program
• A brief statement describing any financial need
• In 500 words or less, state your career goals and why AAJA's mission is important to you.

DEADLINE: The application is open throughout the year, and awarded to multiple recipients up to twice a year. 

Questions? Email support@aaja.org.