PETER FERGUSO
Students with a knack for what our neighbors across the seas are doing have a chance to be financially funded and scholastically supported.
The Overseas Press Club (OPC) Foundation, based in New York City, has announced that it will reward six $1,000 scholarships, one more than last year, for graduate and undergraduate students studying in the United States who aspire to careers as foreign correspondents.
Professor John Hughes, former editor of the Christian Science Monitor, a member of the OPC Foundation and the director of International Media Studies on campus, perceives this opportunity as an excellent one for students seriously considering international journalism.
Becoming a foreign correspondent is a “long and tedious process,” said Hughes. “[Winning an OPC Foundation scholarship] is not a short cut but is a very good item to have on a resume, a flag to an editor as being someone who is going to make it…somehow convince a passion for being a reporter.”
According to the foundation, the money is not the only reward for good writing. Careers will also receive a tremendous boost because a panel of top journalists will have signalled to the entire profession that they have spotted talent.
“That,” according to an OPC news release, “at the end of the day, means more than the actual financial award.”
Students interested in applying should submit a “tightly crafted” essay of up to 500 words about an area of the world or an international topic they feel deserves better coverage.
Applicants should also attach a one-page letter about themselves, their education, relevant experience and how they plan to use the funds if their essay is chosen.
In the past, winning entries have been characterized by clarity, focus, and a sense of professional interest, according to a news release by OPC.
Applicants are also asked not to send resumes, clippings or photographs. Entries are to be received no later than Dec. 10, and the winners will be officially announced at a OPC Foundation Luncheon in January 1997.
Entries should be sent to William J. Holstein, President, OPC Foundation, 320 East 42 Street, New York, NY 10017. Students with questions should call the foundation at (212) 983-4655 or by fax at (212) 983-4692.
