Simply enroll in Academic Works, fill out the general scholarship application and the application for your college, and watch as all the scholarships you’re qualified for are populated on your screen.
How to enroll and apply:
- Go to Academic Works and sign in using your UMass NetID and password.
- Complete the General Application. Once you do this, you will see all the scholarships you qualify for and any supplemental applications for your major(s). Completing the supplemental applications will qualify you for additional scholarships.
- Click on a scholarship link and upload supplementary documents (resumes, letters from faculty, etc., depending on the award).
- Submit your application and see your dashboard, which shows you the status of any pending and submitted applications.
If you have questions, please email @email.
Students from all three concentrations - sports journalism, public relations and general - qualify as a journalism major and are encouraged to apply for any relevant scholarships.
General Support
Daniel R. Smith (1955-2025), an award-winning professional photographer and publications consultant, launched his career in impressive fashion serving as both a Photo Editor of the Massachusetts Daily Collegian and Editor-In-Chief of the UMass Index Yearbook. Dan ('77) was creative, brilliant and kind, leaving a lasting impression on all he met. As UMass and the Collegian held a special place in his heart, this scholarship was launched by his partner Heidi Berenson ('79) to support students who are passionate about visual journalism across the range of formats, including digital, video, print, television, short docs and the "casts" (telecasts, webcasts, etc.). Students involved with the Collegian or other UMass campus media (such as WMUA, UVC-TV19 and the Amherst Wire) and students with financial need are especially encouraged to apply.
Award: Starts at $1,500
Eligibility: Journalism majors or students who produce visual journalism at UMass campus media outlets, with preference given to those who demonstrate financial need.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Edward P. Bassett was a leading American journalism educator who led programs at five universities, including Northwestern University and the University of Southern California, and directed newspaper organizations such as the Gannett chain. In his four-decade career, Ed was also a reporter and editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal, Providence Journal, and Statesman Journal. One of his daughters and her husband, both UMass Amherst and Massachusetts Daily Collegian alumni, established this award in Ed's honor and to support the education of students with a demonstrated interest in public service journalism (such as analytical journalism, accountability journalism, data-driven journalism, investigative journalism, and similar forms of journalism that serve the public good). Students who have financial need are especially encouraged to apply, and previous scholarship recipients are welcome to reapply.
Award: 2-3 awards of at least $5,000 each
Eligibility: Students who have a demonstrated interest in public service journalism, with preference given to journalism majors and students who demonstrate financial need. Graduating seniors are ineligible for this award.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Joe Quinlan was a dogged reporter and tenacious attorney who cut his teeth at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian and went on to advocate for the powerless and pursue justice. Quinlan, a 1980 UMass Amherst graduate who majored in journalism and political science, advised junior reporters to get to know the people they covered and to be fearless in their reporting in order to promote a more just and caring society. This award was established by alumni of the Collegian who hope to encourage others to carry on his remarkable legacy.
Award: Varies, but typically around $1,200.
Eligibility: Journalism majors in good academic standing and who have demonstrated financial need are eligible to apply.
Apply By: This award has already been distributed for this academic year.
Megan Daley loved UMass. She wrote for the Daily Collegian and graduated with a degree in Journalism in 2006. She worked for WIS Publications in Dedham, MA, and, at the time of her death in 2013, she was the managing editor of SAP Insider Magazine. Her family established this scholarship in her memory.
Award: $4,000 (two $2,000 awards given)
Eligibility: Journalism majors from Massachusetts who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 3.3 grade point average.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Rhonda Swan was a Journalism major who graduated in 1987 and became the first Black city editor at The Republican (Springfield) and later worked at The News Journal (Delaware) and The Palm Beach Post (Florida). She garnered numerous awards and much recognition during her career as a journalist, including from the New England Associated Press, the News Executive Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. Her family established this award in her memory.
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Journalism majors in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to students from Springfield, MA, who are underrepresented in the Journalism Department.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Sam Butterfield was an alumnus of Hampshire College who worked as a tenacious and driven reporter at The Massachusetts Daily Collegian who also wrote articles for the Hingham Journal, the Springfield Republican, and the Los Angeles Times. He believed strongly in challenging oneself, trusting your gut, and not being afraid to take risks if meant telling the truth about the world and the communities that journalists serve. This scholarship supports a student in any major that has worked at (or is currently working at) The Collegian who possesses outstanding journalistic skills and ethics as well as a passion for news reporting.
Award: $1,200
Eligibility: Current students in any major who currently works or has worked at the Daily Collegian. Preference given to students with financial need.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Lawrence “Larry” Pinkham was chair of the Journalism Department from 1976 to 1981 and a faculty member until his retirement in 1991. He also taught in China and India, where he helped establish English-language journalism programs at major academic institutions. This scholarship honors Pinkham’s international work by helping a Journalism major who is studying abroad.
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Journalism majors studying abroad in the next academic year.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Submission-Based
The Karen List Award for Excellence in Student Reporting is named after longtime journalism professor Karen List. Her devotion to her students, ethical journalism, and excellence in student media spanned generations. Regardless of genre, winning entries of this award will demonstrate the best principles of journalistic practice by exhibiting intelligent and ethical reporting in service of their local community.
Award: $750
Eligibility: Current UMass Amherst journalism majors who have published any kind of work in a student or professional outlet. All written, visual, broadcast or multimedia work published in the past calendar year before the application’s due date will be considered.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Robert Crowley was a Journalism major and Collegian columnist who graduated in 1982. He wrote columns for the New Bedford Standard Times until his death in an automobile accident.
Award: $550
Eligibility: Any published Collegian columnist enrolled in a degree program at UMass Amherst. Submissions must have been published during the past calendar year before the application's due date. Previous winners are not eligible.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
The UMass Journalism Community Storytelling Award is designed to highlight student work that embodies the best traditions of journalism, public relations, and media scholarship in representing diverse voices and communities. The annual winning work will demonstrate intelligent and rigorous reporting, storytelling, and/or scholarship about underrepresented or overlooked individuals, groups, and/or geographies. As the journalistic pioneer and social justice crusader Ida B. Wells once wrote, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth on them.”
The scope of original student-authored work that can be submitted for consideration to this competitive award is broad. It might include works of journalism published (e.g. textual, visual, audio and/or multimedia stories) in student or professional media, as well as academic papers and essays, published scholarly research, or public relations campaigns.
Award: $750
Eligibility: All UMass journalism majors are eligible. All written, visual, broadcast or multimedia work completed in the past calendar year before the application’s due date will be considered.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Internship
The Journalism Award for Summer Internship provides one $2,000 award to support Journalism majors with an unpaid or underpaid internship during the upcoming summer who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
Award: $2,000
Eligibility: Journalism majors with an unpaid or underpaid internship during the upcoming summer who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
The Scott J. Bacherman Fund supports two to three internship awards each year for students who have secured internships in media fields such as, but not limited to, print, broadcast, convergent, digital, emerging or cross platform; or those who have secured internships in journalism, sports, entertainment or public relations.
Award: 2-3 awards starting at $2,500
Eligibility: Journalism majors and students of any major in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences. Preference will be given to students who have experience, paid or unpaid, in campus media including, but not limited to, WMUA, TV19, Daily Collegian or Amherst Wire. Eligible recipients must have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Established by UMass alumni Sean (Journalism ’85) and Jayne (Nursing ’85) Dandley, the Dandley Internships Awards will go to Journalism majors who have unpaid internships during the upcoming summer or academic year. By giving this generous award, the Dandley Family wishes to signal the critical importance of journalism in democracy: journalism internships deserve funding at a level commensurate with internships in the STEM fields. Sean Dandley, the CEO of DSCI Corporation in Waltham, MA, and Jayne Dandley are also the benefactors of the Dandley Technology Endowment.
Award: Two awards of $6,000 each
Eligibility: Journalism majors with an unpaid internship during the upcoming summer or academic year who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Preference will be given to students participating in UMass ROTC or the military.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
The Thomas Family Scholarship is awarded to a Journalism major who has an unpaid or underpaid internship in the field of emergent media. Elisa Thomas, class of ’95, and her family have established this scholarship to encourage students to work in new media—websites, blogs, social media, etc.
Award: $2,000
Eligibility: Journalism majors with an internship in emergent media who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Milt Cole was a sports writer and editor for The Daily Hampshire Gazette from 1969 to 1993. He died at age 69 and his friends and family set up this memorial to him. Cole’s great passions were the Boston Red Sox and the UMass men’s basketball team. His colleagues remember him as a generous mentor who offered encouragement and advice to young reporters and editors and who believed in the importance of community journalism.
The Milt Cole Memorial Scholarship provides scholarship support to a student majoring in journalism who has secured, but not necessarily completed, an internship on the writing staff of a newspaper. Upon completion of the internship, disbursement of the scholarship will be made. Qualified students will have a GPA of 3.0 or above and will be in their junior year. Financial need of applicants will be a consideration. Priority will be given to students interested in pursuing a career in newspaper journalism.
Award: $2,500
Eligibility: Journalism majors with an internship at a daily newspaper who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the financial aid office and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
Apply By: April 15, 2026
Additional Resources
The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences offers many additional scholarships for our students. You can learn more about them and learn how write a winning scholarship application.