WASHINGTON – Six aspiring college journalists studying in the DMV have been selected to receive scholarships from the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of Washington, D.C. (SDX-DC), the nonprofit education arm of the Society of Professional Journalists Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter.
This year’s candidate pool was especially competitive, with applicants from the University of Maryland, Morgan State University, George Mason University, American University and Georgetown University.
“At a crucial time for journalism, it’s beyond encouraging to see the talent, curiosity and dedication this generation is bringing to the field,” SDX-DC President Steve Geimann said. “These aspiring journalists understand the vital role the profession plays in serving communities and strengthening our democracy, especially now.”
The Foundation will distribute over $20,000 in scholarships to the selected students for the 2026-2027 school year. The aid is funded by donations from the professional chapter’s members and individual gifts to SDX-DC.
“We’re proud to support these outstanding students as they continue their education and start building their careers,” said Geimann, a retired Bloomberg News editor and past national SPJ president. “Their passion is already evident, and we look forward to seeing their bylines and reading their important work in the years ahead.”
The awardees are:
Athena Dyer of Crownsville, Maryland, will continue her education this fall at the University of Maryland’s Merrill School of Journalism. She impressed judges with her energy and enthusiasm for a future as a broadcast journalist. “Athena is an intrepid emerging journalist with tremendous potential,” said SDX-DC board member and scholarship committee judge Delano Massey. “Investing in storytellers like her—who bring curiosity, discipline, and a commitment to meaningful reporting—is essential to shaping the future of this industry.”
Nathan Ferraro of Ford City, Pennsylvania, is a rising junior in the Department of Communication at George Mason University. During his “dream job” internship at his hometown newspaper described how he overcame new challenges to produce stories and a strong multimedia package. “Nathan had an impressive resume that including journalism and community involvement but it was his love of copy editing for his school’s student run newspaper that made him standout,” said scholarship committee member Kara Dixon. “In my experience, many students interested in journalism only want to report so it was a breath of fresh air to see someone want to take a different path and be so passionate about it.”
Jake Kauderer of Baltimore is a rising senior at the University of Maryland’s Merrill College of Journalism. He’s been a sports editor and reporter for the Diamondback and contributed to the sports sections of the Baltimore Sun and the Capital Gazette. The scholarship committee noted his commitment to sports as journalism beyond sideline standups. “Jake’s already diving into the world of deadlines and character-driven stories,” said CNN Senior Producer Scott McCrary, a scholarship committee judge. “Jake doesn’t just talk about making an impact– he’s taking meaningful steps toward his future career. His passion and solid instincts for storytelling shine through.”
Elizabeth Polo of Huntingtown, Maryland, is a rising senior at the University of Maryland’s Merrill College of Journalism. Elizabeth impressed the judges with her passion for local news and her commitment to journalism as a public good. “I’m pretty certain Elizabeth is the only candidate who’s ever said she was inspired to become a journalist after attending a local school board meeting,” said SDX-DC Scholarship Chair Joie Chen. “But it speaks to her understanding of the value of local news to its community and the importance of journalism to a functioning democracy. We look forward to seeing Elizabeth’s career develop here in the DMV.”
Brendan Russell is an aspiring sports journalist at the University of Maryland’s Merrill School of Journalism. Originally from Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, Brendan says there’s no better place to learn journalism than here in the DMV. “Brendan’s path into journalism caught our eye — not everyone jumps from biology to storytelling,“ said scholarship committee member Scott McCrary. ”He approaches his work with the same careful process, while studying and learning from the work of pro sports writers across the DC market.”
Tierra Stone expects to complete her studies at Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication this fall. A Baltimore native, she says her journalism education at MSU has helped her find her niche as a health and environment reporter. AP White House correspondent Darlene Superville, an SDX-DC board member and scholarship committee judge noted, “Tierra’s reporting on cancer and its effects on the Morgan State Community was very impressive and gives me hope that this scholarship award will help nurture her pursuit of a career as a health and environmental journalist.”