The Foundation’s investment in future journalists (2012/2013)
During the 2012/2013 school year, the Headliners Foundation supported nine talented student journalists across the State. Below are stories from two of them.
Audrey White was the 2012 winner of the first George Christian Scholarship.
Audrey White
“When I look back on my time at the University of Texas, I expect I will mostly see a blur of newsrooms. I will see The Daily Texan basement office where I spent eight semesters, including one as managing editor and one as founding editor of the Texan In-Depth team. I was especially proud of my story for the Texan titled “The Road to Andy” which explored the challenges for transgender students on campus.
I will also see my colleagues and mentors at the Texas Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman and KUT News. It was in these newsrooms where I was an intern, learning to write, ask questions, and tell compelling stories.
I am fortunate to have been awarded two Headliners Foundation scholarships, including the George Christian Scholarship this past year. Thanks to the help of the Foundation, I was able to accept three unpaid internships and hone my journalism skills. Through the Foundation, I also met professional journalists from around the state.
Now that I have graduated, I will spend a year in Managua, Nicaragua as a volunteer with CEPAD, a Nicaraguan nonprofit that focuses on sustainable development in rural communities. I will be responsible for its English communications efforts — using social media as well as online and print to reach donors in the U.S. to encourage partnerships and support. The journalism skills I learned during my time at UT will be a huge asset during my year here and will serve me well when I resume my career as a reporter.”
Emily Atteberry received a Foundation scholarship to assist her in completing her undergraduate education at Texas Christian University.
Emily Atteberry
“After spending a life-changing semester studying language in Seville, Spain, I am the editorial intern for AOL’s hyper-local news website, Patch.com, serving the Cape Cod, Mass. region.
In the fall, I served as the News Director at TCU360.com, the newly converged and digital-first student news organization at Texas Christian University. I learned how to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of journalism, spending countless hours in the newsroom working on stories, some of which became topics of national interest.
I am also an alumnus of USA TODAY’s Collegiate Correspondent program, where I continued to freelance during the school year. My experiences working for TCU360 and freelancing for USA TODAY would not have been possible without the financial support of the Headliners Foundation. With the Foundation’s generous scholarship, I was able to focus on researching and writing breaking stories and improving my skills rather than hunting for a part-time job to support myself.
In my upcoming senior year, I will intern full-time for USA TODAY headquarters outside of Washington D.C. and receive college credit through The Washington Center.”
Testimonies compiled by Mark Morrison and Bergan Casey