Overseas Press Club Foundation 2019
DEADLINE: Sunday, December 1, 2019
Graduate and undergraduate students studying at American colleges and universities who aspire to become foreign correspondents are invited to apply for one of 16 scholarships/fellowships to be awarded by the Overseas Press Club Foundation. American students studying abroad are also eligible to apply.
From among those chosen, the Foundation selects up to 12 scholars and pays travel and living expenses for them to spend time in the foreign bureaus of such leading news organization as the Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, GroundTruth Project, Wall Street Journal and Forbes and at foreign English-language media companies such as the South China Morning Post. Students win either a $3,000 grant (which they may use for any purpose) or funding for their overseas assignment. In many cases, winning a prestigious OPC Foundation award has helped launch careers.
The judges require that applicants submit a Cover Letter, Resume and Writing Sample. The applicant’s name and school should appear at the top of each page.
COVER LETTER: The cover letter should be autobiographical in nature addressing such questions as how the applicant developed an interest in this particular part of the world or how he or she would use the scholarship to further his or her journalistic ambitions.
RESUME: The judges attempt to see a progression in an applicant’s journalistic path through college, internships and other experiences. Applicants are advised to not include activities that are far removed from their journalistic area of interest.
WRITING SAMPLE: The writing sample of approximately 500 words should concentrate on an area of the world or an international issue that is in keeping with the applicant’s interest and experience. Winners have written on such diverse topics as playing black jack on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the Indian diaspora in South Sudan and a Taiwanese book store in mainland China. Essays that are exceedingly long may be disqualified.
The substance of the essay may have appeared in an individual’s previously published work but should be reformatted to meet the requirements of the application. Do not send a clip or URL. Judges respond well to applications showing strong reporting skills, color, humor and understanding. Applicants are advised to carefully proof read their submitted materials because typos and other basic mistakes can lead to disqualification.
BUSINESS REPORTING: Because four of the 16 awards are reserved for international business or economic coverage, the Foundation invites applications from students who show a strong understanding of, or interest in, global economic issues such as trade, finance, emerging markets, immigration or environmental impacts. Health issues are also increasingly important.
PHOTOGRAPHIC/VIDEO REPORTING: Two awards are oriented toward television coverage, and judges have in the past granted awards to photographers/videographers who have also demonstrated strong writing skills. Applicants who are primarily videographers or photojournalists may use this link at Screening Room to upload their applications:http://screeningroom.org/festivals_and_awards/public/opc-foundation. The judges still insist on a cover letter, resume and writing sample, which they use to put the visual material in context.
Winners will be contacted in December so arrangements can be made for them to attend the Foundation Scholar Awards Luncheon in February 2020 in New York City. Recipients are required to attend. The Foundation will cover the cost of travel and hotel. The three-day event also includes a welcome reception hosted by Reuters and a day of situational awareness/risk management training for journalists. Winners will meet many key editors and producers and other decision-makers with day-to-day responsibilities for managing international coverage.
DEADLINE: Sunday, December 1, 2019
Print applicants may email their applications to foundation@opcofamerica.org.
