NEW YORK, NY — The New York Times has welcomed 21 college students from across the country to the newest class of its Times Corps, a multi-year newsroom mentorship program designed to help aspiring journalists develop their careers.

The new cohort will be paired individually with Times journalists who will provide career guidance, feedback and mentorship through the students’ college years. Participants also take part in virtual training sessions, with the program continuing through graduation.

The 21 new Times Corps members and their mentors are:

• Alexis Aryeequaye, Augsburg University — Talya Minsberg, reporter, Newsletters
• Andrea Baltodano, California State University, Sacramento — Danielle Ivory, reporter, Investigations
• Luke Brewer, Eastern Illinois University — Mick Sussman, assistant editor, Standards
• Anthony Clauson, Western Kentucky University — Sapna Maheshwari, reporter, Business
• Caleson Coon, Oklahoma State University — Daniel Victor, senior editor, Live
• Mia Debelevich, Pennsylvania State University — Mike Abrams, deputy editor, Trust
• Luca DiGregorio, University of Utah — Emily Steel, reporter, Business
• Sandra Fu, Ohio State University — June Kim, graphics and multimedia editor, Reporter Video
• Xen Gadsden, Howard University — Corinne Chin, director of video talent, Culture and Careers
• Bella Grimaldi, Suffolk University — Steven Lee Meyers, reporter, Business
• Jasline Hernandez, Loyola University Maryland — Patia Braithwaite, editor, Early Careers
• Daphne Kleinschmit, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities — Megan DiTrolio, senior editor, Trust
• Olivia Lee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville — Kathleen Kingsbury, Opinion editor
• Marissa Lievanos, Riverside City College — Andrés R. Martínez, deputy editor, Metro
• Hannah Piedad, University of Kentucky — Mike Wilson, deputy editor, The Great Read
• Brandon Portillo Aponte, James Madison University — Gabriel Blanco, video journalist, Reporter Video
• Gregory Rusin, Florida State University — Irena Hwang, reporter, Data Journalism
• Angie Ramirez, University of Arkansas — Megan McCrea, senior staff editor, Special Sections
• Elizabeth Schuth, Indiana University — Eduardo Medina, reporter, National
• Lucille Stutesman, Washington State University — Sharon Chan, deputy editor, Culture and Careers
• Akia Thrower, Michigan State University — Katrina Miller, reporter, Science

The Times Corps was launched in 2022 for undergraduate journalism students who could particularly benefit from sustained guidance from working journalists. Nearly 100 students have participated in the program since its inception.

Alumni have gone on to work at local and national news organizations and have earned placements in other journalism programs and training opportunities.

Students who complete Times Corps may also have an opportunity to visit New York and The Times newsroom in person.

The New York Times plans to open applications for the next Times Corps class in spring 2027.

Building the next generation of newsrooms starts before the first full-time job. MJR Morning Brief tracks the programs, opportunities and people shaping the future of media careers.

Celeste González de Bustamante, courtesy photo

PHOENIX, AZ — Celeste González de Bustamante has been named Vice Dean of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the school announced.

“I’m incredibly honored and privileged to be Cronkite’s new vice dean,” González de Bustamante said.

She joins ASU from the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication, where she was founding director of the Center for Global Change and Media and held the Mary Gibbs Jones Centennial Chair in Communication.

González de Bustamante previously co-founded and directed the University of Arizona Center for Border and Global Journalism. Before moving into academia, she spent 15 years as a broadcast journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area and at network affiliates in the Southwest.

She earned bachelor’s degrees in broadcast journalism and foreign languages from San José State University, along with a master’s degree in Latin American studies and a doctorate in history from the University of Arizona.

Her academic work has focused heavily on global journalism and media. She is also the author of the award-winning book Surviving Mexico: Resistance and Resilience among Journalists in the Twenty-First Century.

At Cronkite, González de Bustamante will bring experience in faculty and graduate student mentoring, academic program development, global media research and experiential learning as the school expands its journalism and communications programs.

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The New York Times is putting its support behind the next generation of journalists with a fundraising initiative connected to the New York City Marathon.

The Times has launched Run for Reporting, an effort raising money for the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY’s free tuition campaign. Funds raised through the initiative will support scholarships designed to make graduate journalism education more accessible to aspiring journalists.

The campaign comes as The Times says it remains committed to cultivating the next generation of journalists while supporting investigative reporting across the country.

Through Run for Reporting, supporters can contribute directly to the CUNY journalism school’s Free Tuition campaign. The initiative seeks to reduce the financial barriers students can face when pursuing careers in journalism.

The Times is also inviting runners to participate beyond the fundraising campaign. Those interested can join its Run for Reporting Run Club on Strava and run in support of CUNY or another journalism-focused nonprofit organization of their choice.

The initiative connects the visibility of the New York City Marathon with a broader effort to strengthen the pipeline of journalists entering the industry and help make journalism careers accessible to people from a wider range of financial backgrounds.

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The Broadcast Education Association has announced the faculty and student winners of its 2026 On-Location Creative Works Competition sponsored by ROSS, recognizing work produced by college and university educators and students across audio, documentary, film and video, interactive media, news, sports and other categories.

All winners will be recognized during the 2026 BEA On-Location Conference at Illinois State University.

BEA's On-Location Creative Works Competition provides full-time faculty and students at colleges and universities an opportunity to showcase creative scholarship. Eligible work for this year's competition was required to have been completed after June 15, 2024, with faculty submissions undergoing peer review.

2026 Faculty Competition Winners

Audio Competition

Best of Show

• Dyslexia Stories Podcast episode 1 — Stacey Irwin, Millersville University

Awards of Excellence

• Sports in Society-Colorado Springs Trip to U.S. Olympic & Para Olympic Training Center — Jeffrey Schiffman, York College of Pennsylvania
• One Foot in the Grave — Vic Costello, Elon University

Documentary Competition

Best of Show

• One Day in November — Brian Plow, Ohio University

Award of Excellence

• Story State 2026: Will Coppage – Carrying On Greenville’s Roots Music Tradition — Josh Foreman, Mississippi State University

Film & Video Competition

Best of Show

• Red Rice — Wenhwa Tsao, Columbia College Chicago

Awards of Excellence

• Yummy Cusine — Wenhwa Tsao, Columbia College Chicago
• Normal (aka F Your Film Festival) — Rajeev Sigamoney and Dan Steadman, Illinois State University

Interactive Multimedia & Emerging Technologies Competition

Best of Show

• The life of Yesman — Michael Lee and Jaeho Kang, Ball State University

Award of Excellence

• Sounding Space: Immersive Chamber Recital in 360 Video and Ambisonic Audio — Weiyan Wang, Missouri State University

Open Competition

Award of Excellence

• Crossroads Farms Animated Social Media Spots — Curtis Wood, Tyler Welker and James Newton, Huntington University

2026 Student Competition Winners

Audio Competition

Best of Show

• 93 Counties: Sinful Sidney — Maddie Hansen and Angelina Pattavina, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Awards of Excellence

• Remixed – A Non-Alcoholic Night Out — Emma Turgeon, Furman University
• Genesis — Alex Kirk, Cody Anderson, Edison Lewis, Connor McCary and Skylar Michalak, Missouri State University
• Spuknik — Carson Powell, Sarah Miller-Ross, Wyatt Helm, Thai Le and Hiep Quach, Missouri State University
• WMSV Aircheck — Blake Ligon, Mississippi State University
• Dream Time Stories with Salma — Salma Abdelnasser Salem, The American University in Cairo
• Lincoln Parks & Rec Day Camp — Leah Bryan, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Documentary Competition

Best of Show

• Spare Time — David Peral, Katie McCawley, Audrey Enghauser and Sean Humphrey, Furman University

Awards of Excellence

• The Uninvited Guests — YCP CM 341-DOC Film Making, York College of Pennsylvania
• Thin Places — Hannah McLaughlin, Gracelyn Fletcher, Raena Rogers and Mackenzie Miner, Taylor University
• Peace Walls — Kylee Kinsman, Nathan Tompkins, Ben Bailey and Adeline Heuser, Taylor University

Film & Video Competition

Best of Show

• I Memorized Your Sadness — Shannon Sykes, Madison Donnely, Noah Keathly and Anoulak Blanchet, Columbia College Chicago

Awards of Excellence

• NEON GOD — Luke Holdom, Jessica Veith, Zachary Donnachie, Adeline Heuser and Daniel Sanders, Taylor University
• Cicada — Vince Luo, Columbia College Chicago
• Last Resort — Jaden Mason, Annie Troyer, Silas Aldrich, Kylee Kinsman, Josiah Seeman and Brynn Smarrella, Taylor University
• Far From Home: A Visual Poem — Marcos Vasquez, York College of Pennsylvania
• Replication Room — Angelo Pellicci, Ithaca College
• Feather — Lauren Lindsay, David Randall and Brooklin Gall, Mississippi State University
• Lucky — Nathan Glasser, Sean Fisher, Kayla Tidy, Brendan Noone and Blake Beeler, Ithaca College

News Competition

Best of Show

• The Future Radio — Blake Ligon, Mississippi State University

Awards of Excellence

• Waffles with Dave — Hudson Carrico and Talon Strong, University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Winter Birdwatch: Ahead of Great Backyard Bird Count — Marissa Lindemann, University of Nebraska Lincoln

News Competition – Program

Best of Show

• Nebraska Nightly: Agriculture Special — Rachel Miller, Sophie Farrell and Hayden Hauge, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Award of Excellence

• WATCH NOW: NewsLink Indiana | November 24, 2025 — NewsLink Staff, Ball State University

Open Competition

Award of Excellence

• The House Next Door — Anson Aldridge, Lexi Ogan, Katherine Purvin and Josh Raynor, Missouri State University

Sports Competition

Best of Show

• Trey Marler Reel — Trey Marler, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Awards of Excellence

• Ball State Women’s Golf Honors Program Legend — Jake Dickman, Ball State University
• Pius Jr. Bolt Football off Inaugural Season — Trey Marler, University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Maryland vs UNL Soccer — Danny Berg, Chase Ruch and Justice Rhody, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Sports Competition – Program

Best of Show

• Egg Bowl Play By Play — Connor Davis, Mississippi State University

Awards of Excellence

• Unlimited Sports Preview Show (USC at UNL) — Trey Marler, Justice Rhody and Brady Alderson, University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Titan Town Sports- Benzel Leaves Westminster — Ben Kelly, Jacob Rhodes, Jorden Tate, Ethan Schon, Ethan Kurtz and Tom Rook, Westminster College
• Sports Injuries — Caleb Castile, Mississippi State University

The student competition results show a particularly strong representation from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Mississippi State University, Taylor University, Missouri State University and other collegiate media programs. The faculty honorees represent institutions including Millersville University, Ohio University, Columbia College Chicago, Illinois State University, Ball State University and Huntington University.

BEA says its creative competition is designed to recognize work across traditional and emerging media, including radio and digital audio, documentaries, narrative and promotional video, interactive technologies, television and radio news, and sports production.

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Artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from an experimental technology to an everyday tool for work, communication and information gathering, but Americans remain sharply divided over how much they trust it and what its growing use will mean for jobs and journalism.

Those are among the findings of the University of South Carolina College of Information and Communications’ latest AI Public Opinion Tracker, a nationally representative survey examining how U.S. adults are using and evaluating artificial intelligence. The Wave 4 study surveyed 1,051 adults between December 2 and December 22, 2025.

The report found that 96% of Americans have heard of artificial intelligence, while 90% are familiar with specific AI tools such as ChatGPT. More than half, 52%, said they have used AI tools for work, study or both, while 41% have used AI to create communication content.

Despite widespread awareness and growing adoption, trust remains considerably lower. Only 34% of respondents reported high or very high confidence in AI tools, illustrating what researchers described as a widening gap between familiarity, usage and trust.

AI users are also reporting tangible benefits. By December 2025, approximately four in five people who use AI assistants said the technology had improved their productivity at work or in their studies. More than eight in ten users said they were either extremely or somewhat satisfied with their experiences using AI.

The survey found growing concerns about how those productivity gains could affect employment, particularly in communication-related fields.

When asked about AI's impact on communication jobs, 44% said they expect AI to reduce the number of jobs, compared with 29% who believe it will transform existing jobs and 20% who expect AI to create more jobs. Only 7% said AI would have no impact.

At the same time, 58% said they need to learn new skills to remain competitive in the job market, while 61% believe AI will deepen the divide between workers with strong technology skills and those without them.

The report suggests that Americans increasingly view AI as something workers will have to adapt to rather than a technology they can simply avoid.

Journalism presents an especially complicated picture.

The survey found that 48% believe AI can improve the quality of journalism, compared with 33% who said it could make journalism worse and 19% who expect no significant impact. The percentage seeing no impact has declined as AI has become more visible in news production.

Americans appear considerably more comfortable with AI working behind the scenes than replacing journalists.

58% agreed AI can help journalists produce news faster and more efficiently, but 61% said replacing journalists with AI would lower the quality of information. Only 29% said they would trust articles written entirely by AI.

Nearly half, 49%, also said AI-generated journalism could make public debate more polarized.

One area produced overwhelming agreement: disclosure.

72% said news organizations should always disclose when AI has been used to produce or edit content. Another 19% favored disclosure when most of the content was AI-generated, while only 9% said disclosure was unnecessary.

The findings come as AI is increasingly becoming a gateway to news itself.

The study found 43% of respondents use AI tools to search for news and information, while 45% believe AI helps people find accurate information online. However, only 49% said they are confident they can identify when a news article, photograph or video was created using AI.

That creates what researchers describe as an emerging paradox: people are increasingly relying on AI to guide them toward information even though many are uncertain whether they can recognize AI-generated material when they encounter it.

Misinformation remains another major concern. 48% believe AI increases misinformation and disinformation online, compared with 36% who believe it can reduce misinformation and 16% who see its impact as neutral.

AI tools are also beginning to compete with traditional institutions for public trust. The survey found 34% expressed confidence in AI tools, compared with 33% for the press and 37% for news websites. Television news received confidence from 42% of respondents, while universities and YouTube each reached 43%.

The study also highlights the changing competitive landscape among AI platforms. Among respondents who use AI assistants, 82% reported using ChatGPT, followed by Google Gemini at 60% and Microsoft Copilot at 39%. Gemini has gained significant ground since earlier waves of the survey, although ChatGPT remains the dominant platform.

Researchers conclude that AI is producing a structural change across communication rather than a temporary technology cycle. They argue that communication professionals will increasingly need AI literacy, source verification skills, human editorial judgment and clear standards governing disclosure and responsible use.

The report says the central question is no longer whether AI will be used in communication, but whether professionals will be equipped to use it critically and responsibly as the boundaries between human-created and AI-assisted content become increasingly difficult for audiences to distinguish.

Download the entire report.

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Photo Credit: Comcast NBCUniversal

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced details of a series of workforce development initiatives that used some of 2026’s biggest sporting events to provide emerging creators with hands-on media and production experience.

The company said nonprofit partner agencies and their apprentices participated in projects surrounding Super Bowl LX, NBA All-Star Weekend and Telemundo’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup. The programs provided production assignments, behind-the-scenes access and opportunities to work with media and sports industry professionals.

The efforts were organized through partnerships involving NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab and nonprofit creative agencies around the country.

Atlanta-based RE:IMAGINE, working through a partnership between the NBA Foundation and NBCU’s Creative Impact Lab, produced a PSA campaign featuring Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The campaign aired across Comcast and NBCUniversal platforms during the NBA season, including a spot during the Milwaukee Bucks-Atlanta Hawks Martin Luther King Jr. Day pregame broadcast.

RE:IMAGINE apprentices also documented activities surrounding the game, giving participants experience working alongside professional talent and producing content connected to a major NBA event.

In the Bay Area, two apprentices from Oakland-based YouthBeat worked with NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 in the lead-up to Super Bowl LX. The apprentices joined local production teams to document community sports activations and produce social media content.

YouthBeat participants were also involved when Telemundo’s Tu Momento. Tu Jugada. Mobile Experience visited the Bay Area ahead of the FIFA World Cup. More than 600 students and community members participated in the San Francisco event, which included soccer clinics, mentorship opportunities, cultural celebrations and fan experiences.

In Los Angeles, apprentices from Venice Arts participated in projects surrounding NBA All-Star Weekend. They documented Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles home builds supporting families affected by the 2025 wildfires and covered a culminating build involving community volunteers and NBCUniversal employees.

The apprentices also filmed the Comcast-sponsored NBA All-Star Pitch Competition, which provides entrepreneurs with funding opportunities and access to business leaders from across the NBA.

NBCUniversal also highlighted work involving Kids In The Spotlight and Venice Arts through the LA84 Foundation’s 26 for 26 grant program. Apprentices created Spanish-language PSAs featuring organizations expanding access to youth sports in Los Angeles, including Los Angeles City College, AYSO Palmdale and KEEN LA.

The spots aired on the local Telemundo station and were also showcased during the LA84 Foundation’s Play Equity Summit.

In Baltimore, Wide Angle Youth Media partnered with NBCU’s Creative Impact Lab and the U.S. Soccer Foundation to produce a bilingual PSA campaign promoting Yes, Coach! and ¡Sí, Coach!, free online resources designed to help train youth sports coaches. The initiative has a goal of training 100,000 mentors by 2030.

Apprentices worked with NBCUniversal creative professionals during production, with the resulting PSAs airing across Comcast, NBCUniversal and Telemundo platforms leading up to and during the FIFA World Cup.

NBCUniversal said the various projects allowed apprentices to gain production experience, work alongside industry professionals and contribute to content reaching local and national audiences.

The company said its use of major sports partnerships for workforce development is intended to help emerging creators develop practical skills and prepare for future careers in media and entertainment.

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Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is expanding its support for the next generation of journalists by bringing specialized watchdog reporting training to college students in the Midwest and Puerto Rico this fall.

In partnership with Open Campus, IRE announced two day-long workshops designed to help student journalists strengthen investigative reporting skills while navigating the unique challenges of covering colleges and universities.

The first workshop, Campus Coverage: Watchdog Reporting for Student Journalists, will be held September 25 at IRE's headquarters inside the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

The training comes as student newspapers across the country face increasing pressure from colleges and universities over coverage of controversial issues. While student publications often provide the most comprehensive reporting on their campuses and, in some cases, are the only news organizations covering university affairs, student journalists also face unique legal and institutional challenges.

IRE's workshop will teach participants how to investigate their institutions more effectively, pursue accountability reporting, and better understand the rights and protections available to student journalists.

To make the training more accessible, IRE is offering fellowships for students from Missouri and neighboring states. The fellowships include workshop registration and a one-year IRE membership or membership renewal.

Students from outside the region can attend for $25, with a current IRE student membership required. New student memberships are available for an additional $25.

IRE also plans to bring the Campus Coverage workshop to Puerto Rico, with additional details expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Students interested in attending or learning about future training opportunities can subscribe to IRE's Quick Hits newsletter for updates on workshops, fellowships and important deadlines.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 16 winners of the 53rd Student Academy Awards, recognizing outstanding student filmmakers from around the world. The winners will be honored during a ceremony on Sept. 14 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking the first time the Student Academy Awards will be presented during the festival.

This year's competition received 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities worldwide. Winners were selected across four categories: Alternative/Experimental, Animation, Documentary and Narrative.

The winners are:

Alternative/Experimental

• Lei He, "Drifting," Duke University, United States
• Viktorie Štěpánová, "Volklore," Filmová a Televizní Fakulta Akademie Múzických Umění v Praze (FAMU), Czech Republic
• Nina Broers, "Where Is My Sex Drive?" St. Joost School of Art & Design, Netherlands

Animation

• Jonathan Lally, Elio Molinaro and Nicolás Acevedo Ferraté, "COWS," École Supérieure de Métiers Artistiques (ESMA), France
• Noran Fikri Alezabi, Xinyue Ma and Yulin Yue, "Gauze," Gobelins, France
• Matthias Strasser, "The Panic Inside," Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Documentary

• Arjun Fischer, "Artificial Love," University of Southern California, United States
• Jason Elliott, "I Want to Live," National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
• Lara Dihmis, "The Last People of Petra," New York University, United States

Narrative

• Stanzin Jigmet, "The Dragon Letter," Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), Spain
• Leon Korzyński, "Kamathipura Express," Warsaw Film School, Poland
• Antoine Boulanger, "The Pichenotte," Concordia University, Canada

The Academy said first-time Student Academy Award honors went to students from Concordia University, Duke University, École Supérieure de Métiers Artistiques (ESMA), Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), St. Joost School of Art and Design and Warsaw Film School.

Gold, silver and bronze placements in each category will be announced during the ceremony at TIFF Lightbox at Reitman Square. In addition to receiving their awards, winners will participate in a weekend of educational programming, networking opportunities and exclusive sessions with Academy members designed to help support their careers in filmmaking.

All Student Academy Award-winning films will be eligible for consideration at the 99th Academy Awards in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film categories.

Established in 1972, the Student Academy Awards have served as a launching pad for many successful filmmakers. Past winners have gone on to earn 70 Academy Award nominations and win or share 15 Oscars. Alumni include Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen and Robert Zemeckis.

The 2026 Student Academy Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. ET at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto in partnership with Rolex.

Universal Pictures is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Universal Below-the-Line Traineeship, a workforce development initiative that has helped launch careers for aspiring film crew members while strengthening the industry's behind-the-scenes talent pipeline.

Launched in 2021, the program provides hands-on training opportunities for emerging production professionals across Universal Pictures and Focus Features projects. Since its inception, the initiative has connected more than 180 trainees to 36 Universal film productions, exposing participants to more than 20 different production career paths.

The traineeship focuses on developing local production crews by partnering with colleges, workforce organizations, unions and industry partners in filming locations across the United States. Participants receive on-set experience in departments including set decoration, props, production office, grip, electrical, costume, visual effects, music, accounting and more.

"The future of filmmaking depends on having skilled crews in every community where stories are brought to life," said Brandon Williams, Senior Vice President of Universal Talent Development. "Five years later, we're seeing productions, department heads and crew members come together to develop talent, share knowledge and create opportunities that can last well past a single film."

The initiative has earned support from filmmakers and producers who have incorporated trainees into major productions, including Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and the upcoming The Odyssey.

Producer Emma Thomas said the program reflects the traditional way filmmaking skills have always been developed.

"Film sets have always been places where people learn by doing," Thomas said. "Trainees become part of the production environment, learning alongside experienced crews while contributing to the work itself."

The program was first piloted in 2021 on Jordan Peele's NOPE, in partnership with Monkeypaw Productions. Producer and Monkeypaw Creative Director Ian Cooper said the traineeship aligns closely with the company's commitment to creating meaningful career opportunities.

"I don't think I've ever said 'yes' faster than when Universal approached us about NOPE being the pilot production for this initiative," Cooper said. "Watching it thrive and expand over the past five years has been deeply meaningful."

Universal said trainee positions are created as additional crew roles, allowing participants to gain practical experience without replacing existing entry-level jobs. The company also maintains relationships with program alumni, helping connect graduates with future production opportunities across the industry.

The studio says the traineeship continues to expand with multiple cohorts each year and remains a key part of its long-term strategy to build a sustainable workforce for film production.

Sinclair has awarded $48,600 in scholarships to 15 university students through its 2026 Sinclair Scholarship program, continuing its commitment to supporting the next generation of media professionals.

Now in its 13th year, the scholarship program has provided more than $480,000 in tuition assistance to students pursuing careers in journalism, broadcasting, digital storytelling, marketing, public relations, communications, and related fields.

The 2026 Sinclair Scholarship recipients are:

• Sara Alvarez – University of Southern California
• Jocelyn Bilker – The Pennsylvania State University
• Riddhi Bora – The University of Texas at Austin
• Sydney Chan – Syracuse University
• Michelle Ifediba – University of California, Berkeley
• Yasmin Kerikar – Brooklyn College
• Josiah Lee – North Carolina State University
• Kelcie Lee – University of California, Berkeley
• Philip Lam – Northwestern University
• Katareena Roska – Northwestern University
• Samantha Smith – West Virginia University
• Sophie Starkey – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Abeni Townsend – Clark University
• Chloe Waites – Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Josiah Wonnell – Abilene Christian University

"The future of this industry will be shaped by the storytellers and communicators we invest in today. These outstanding students aren't just impressive; they're a glimpse of what's coming," said Sinclair President and CEO Chris Ripley. "Sinclair is proud to support their academic journeys and look forward to seeing the impact they make in the years ahead."

Since launching the program in 2013, Sinclair has recognized outstanding students pursuing careers across the media industry while helping offset the cost of higher education.

Additional information about the Sinclair Scholarship program and this year's recipients is available on Sinclair's website.