Supporting students committed to journalism
The purpose of the Denver Press Club‘s John C. Ensslin and Bruce Goldberg Scholarship program is to support students who are committed and engaged in the field of journalism. Applicants to the scholarship fund will be eligible to receive one of the following scholarship awards:
- John C Ensslin Scholarship
- Cynthia Hessin Memorial Scholarship
- Damon Runyon Scholarship
- Walter Bass Photojournalism Scholarship
Cynthia Hessin was the first female president of the Denver Press Club and served on its board for many years. Over her 40-year career in Colorado news, she blazed trails in radio and television, earning 18 regional Emmys and numerous other awards. She reported, anchored, and produced for KCNC, Denver7, and finally Rocky Mountain PBS, where she worked from 1995 to 2018. The Cynthia Hessin Memorial Scholarship honors her legacy by supporting women pursuing excellence and leadership in journalism.
Eligibility
- Be enrolled in one of the eligible schools for the Fall 2026/Spring 2027 academic year: Colorado College, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado State University – Fort Collins, Colorado State University – Pueblo, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
- Demonstrate engagement in their academic field of journalism.
- Plan to use their major to work in journalism after college graduation.
Selection criteria
Scholarships will be awarded once each year through a competitive process based on:
- vision for the future
- commitment to the field/passion for their work in journalism
- quality of work
- scholastic potential
NOTICE: By applying for the John C. Ensslin and Bruce Goldberg Scholarship, you are also being considered for one of the ten available Scholarship awards
- 1 – $3,000 John C. Ensslin Scholars
- 1 – $3,000 Cynthia Hessin Memorial Scholarship
- 8 – $1,500 Damon Runyon Scholarship awards with the potential for 1 of those 8 to be the Walter Bass Scholarship for the Top Photojournalism recipient.
Award details
Scholarship awards are one-time awards. The amounts awarded to a selected recipient may be used for tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, and any additional cost of attendance expenses. All scholarships will be paid directly to a recipient’s school and must be used for the upcoming 2026/2027 academic year. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s college or university. Awards must be used during this upcoming academic year.
How to apply
- Read through the eligibility to confirm you meet the requirements for the scholarship opportunity
- Log into TDF Scholarship Manager and apply for the Universal Scholarship
- Prepare and submit the following items:
- Resume
- Academic transcript
- One essay
- What do you see as your contribution to the field of journalism? What are your goals as a journalist? And how do you think news outlets can better connect with audiences and remain relevant in the rapidly changing industry?
- Three samples of work
- Upload or provide links to three examples of your original journalism work, which can be print, photo, radio, video, or editorial cartoons.
- For illustrations as well as print and photojournalism, please upload your work as PDF or JPEG. For video and radio journalism, please provide a link to the piece where it can be accessed online.
