University of Richmond student journalists capture 2007 SPJ,SDX Educational Foundation scholarships
May 25, 2007
University of Richmond students Lauren Merkel and Dan Petty have been named winners of the 2007 Richmond SPJ,SDX Educational Foundation journalism scholarships.
The $2,000 merit scholarships are presented jointly each year by Society of Professional Journalists-Virginia Pro Chapter and the foundation to the top college journalists in the commonwealth.
Merkel, a rising senior from Plattsburgh, N.Y, and Petty, a rising junior from Pennington, N.J., will be presented with the scholarships June 7 at the SPJ chapter's 44th Annual George Mason Award Banquet. Lou Emerson, former editor of The Culpeper Star Exponent, will receive the Mason Award for significant, lasting contribution to Virginia journalism.
Merkel is assistant news editor of The Collegian, the university's student newspaper, where she has been on the staff since her freshman year. She has covered the Virginia General Assembly for Capital News Service and worked two summer internships at The Press-Republican newspaper in Plattsburgh. A journalism major and business and French double minor, Merkel hopes to work as a newspaper reporter. Richmond journalism department chair Steve Nash said Merkel has been a "superb student" in journalism classes and described her as "ambitious, disciplined and talented."
Petty, a biology and journalism double major and French minor, is news editor of The Collegian. He has covered the Virginia General Assembly for Capital News Service, completed a news-sports-photography internship with The Pennington Post (N.J.), written for Richmond Alumni Magazine and writes a weekly blog on campus life at the university. He is a varsity cross-country and track runner and plays trumpet in the University of Richmond Wind Ensemble. A former Eagle Scout, Petty is assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 1776 in his hometown. He plans to work as a science reporter.
Richmond journalism professor Thomas M. Mullen said Petty is "exceedingly determined and disciplined in pursuing his assignments" and that he "took on numerous complicated topics and produced first-rate stories" for Capital News Service.
The SPJ chapter and foundation have awarded 70 journalism scholarships since 1971 to students attending an accredited Virginia college or university. The 8,600 worldwide members of Society of Professional Journalists promote high standards and ethical practice of journalism, freedom of information, legal defense of reporters, journalism education and newsroom diversity.