The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of Washington, D.C., is the non-profit, educational arm of the Washington, D.C., Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. SDX invites students attending college programs with primary campuses in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia who have demonstrated interest in pursuing journalism careers to apply for scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year.
The foundation is overseen by a board of directors made up of devoted volunteers, most of them veteran journalists, ratified by the board of directors of the Washington, D.C., Pro chapter of SPJ.
Scholarship Eligibility
SDXF scholarship recipients must:
- Be enrolled in an accredited two- or four-year college or university. Students are not required to be journalism majors.
- Be actively involved in some journalism activity (e.g., student newspaper, radio, TV, or for a professional news organization or producing digital editorial content, podcasts or other content.)
- Achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5/4.0 scale or equivalent
- Be willing to participate in future SPJ/SDX activities/mentorship programs. Scholarship recipients are invited to attend the SPJ Washington Pro Chapter’s annual awards dinner as guests of the Foundation and will be recognized during the program.
*Note: applicants are NOT required to be citizens or permanent residents. Individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and international students attending college in the U.S. are eligible.
Awards
Scholarship recipients will be granted an award for the 2025-2026 academic year of up to $3,000. Amounts of the final awards will be determined by the SDX Foundation board. Awards will be distributed directly to the student’s academic institution. Students who withdraw may be asked to return unused scholarship funds.
Process
Closing date for applications (including transcripts and recommendations) is midnight ET on March 17, 2025. Each application will be reviewed by a panel of professional print, broadcast and digital journalists. Finalists will be interviewed by at least two members of the judging panel. Winners will be notified and announced by May 1, 2025. The decision of the judges is final.
Selection Criteria
SDXF selects scholarship winners based on their demonstrated interest and commitment to journalism in addition to their academic performance, honors and participation in journalism organizations. We strongly prioritize recommenders’ evaluations and the candidate’s statement about their interest in and commitment to professional journalism.
QUESTIONS? Please reach out to us at: Scholarships@SDXDC.org or TeamGeimann@gmail.com.