Student Resources
These resources are for current Philip Merrill College of Journalism students.
You’ll find all the undergraduate forms you need here:
Course Enrollment Form
Special Request Form
Independent Study Forms
Permission to Enroll in Another Institution Form
Intern Proposal Form
Rules for Use of Studio A Form/Studio A Permission Form
Campus Police
- 911 from any campus phone
- 301-405-3333
- 301-405-3555 (non-emergency calls)
- NITE Ride
- 301-314-6483
- DOTS “Transloc Rider” App for students who use Nite Ride.
- Download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Allows you to request free rides.
- UMD Police Walking Escort/Non-Emergency
- 301-405-3555
Prince George’s County Police
- 911 from mobile phone
- Non-Emergency Number – 301-352-1200
Other Numbers and Services
- 301-314-HELP (4357): Campus peer-to-peer HELP Line
- 301-314-7651: Campus Counseling Center
- 301-314-8106: Campus Health and Mental Health Center
- 301-741-3442: 24-hour CARE: Confidential Services for Sexual Assault/Harassment/Rape
- Dial 211: 24-hour Maryland's Helpline (formerly Maryland Crisis Hotline)
- 301-314-8180: Health Center
- Office of Civil Rights & Sexual Misconduct (Title IX)
- UMD Guardian (Mobile Campus Safety App)
- UMD Alerts
- Campus Counseling Center
- Walk-In Services in Shoemaker Bldg.
- (Please see website for full services offered by the Center.)
Counseling Services
The embedded counselor at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism is a Counseling Center clinician situated in Knight Hall. By placing counselors onsite, the Counseling Center makes it easier for Merrill students to get mental health services, and offers more direct access for faculty and staff to consult with a mental health professional about how to best support students.
To schedule an appointment with the embedded counselor for mental health services, call the Counseling Center front desk at (301) 314-7651 and ask to schedule an appointment with the Philip Merrill College of Journalism's embedded counselor. The embedded counselor will assess your needs to determine how best to support you. More on Merrill College's counseling services.
Veterans
A service specifically designed for students who are currently serving, or who have served, in any branch of the military. The Veterans Walk-In Hour is a chance for student veterans to come by the Center, no appointment needed, to talk about anything on their minds. The Walk-In Hour is not, nor is it intended to be, psychotherapy. The intent of the Walk-In Hour is to simply provide an ear for veterans who want someplace to talk. Monday-Thursday, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Students of Color
The Students of Color walk-in hour affords students of color, including racial and ethnic minorities and international students, the opportunity to drop in to the Counseling Center without an appointment. Students are guaranteed to be seen by a therapist of color. Monday-Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Rainbow
A service aimed at making the Counseling Center’s services feel safer for students in the LGBTQ community. The Rainbow Walk-In Hour is staffed with LGBTQ-friendly psychologists and advanced trainees. Students using this service are not required to schedule an appointment. Monday-Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
These scholarships are available to current and incoming Merrill College students for the upcoming academic year. Some are specifically for master’s or Ph.D. students. The application linked below is for Merrill College scholarships only.
The application deadline for scholarships for current students for 2024-2025 is May 15, 2024. We will review applications and make awards based on the following schedule on the Office of Student Financial Aid website. It states that current students will receive their financial aid packages by June 1, 2024.
You can access the scholarship application in the Applications section of your Scholarship Universe profile or by clicking this link.
Current Student Scholarships
The Steven C. Affens Broadcast Journalism Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate broadcast student. Recipients shall be selected from applications that include evidence of the student’s on-air TV work. A combination of overall academic performance, and judging of a sample of a student’s on-air programming that emphasizes potential in visual storytelling and high-quality video news photography, will be used by the [PMC] scholarship committee in making the award.
Carolyn A. and Howard F. Ahrens Scholarship. Established by a bequest from Carolyn A. Ahrens, this scholarship is awarded to sophomores or juniors enrolled in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Students must be Maryland residents.
Fred I., Edna O. and Fred J. Archibald Scholarship. Established by a bequest from Fred I. Archibald of Baltimore News-American and Frederick News-Post newspaper editors, this scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students enrolled in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Professor Thomas Aylward Journalism Scholarship. Awarded to a Merrill College Ph.D. student.
Paul Berg Diamondback Scholarship. Funded by friends and family and The Washington Post in memory of Paul Berg, Diamondback editor-in-chief 1978-79 and assistant editor of The Post’s Health section at the time of his death in 1989. This scholarship is awarded to a Diamondback editor or news staff member who displays special achievement and effort while working for the campus daily newspaper. Applicants must have served at least one semester on the Diamondback staff, and must return to campus for the following fall semester. All majors may apply for this scholarship.
Bonnie Bernstein Scholarship. Bernstein is a 1992 Merrill College graduate who was an Academic All-American gymnast. Applicants must be a full-time, upperclass multi-platform journalism major (with preference for students in the broadcast component) who participates in an NCAA-sanctioned sport at the University of Maryland. Applicants also need to show evidence of financial need, have a GPA of 3.0 or above and submit an essay describing why they should receive the award.
John Story Cleghorn and Nona Reese Cleghorn Scholarship. Funded by the late College Dean Reese Cleghorn in honor of his parents, this scholarship is awarded to undergraduate or graduate journalism students based on academic merit, with preference given to students with financial need.
Reese Cleghorn Excellence in Journalism Scholarship. Created in memory of the late College Dean Reese Cleghorn, this scholarship is awarded to undergraduate or graduate journalism students based on academic merit, with preference given to students with financial need.
Francis J. Cormier White House Correspondents’ Association Scholarship. Established in 1991 by the White House Correspondents’ Association, this award was renamed in 1994 to honor the memory of Francis J. Cormier, who for two decades exemplified the best qualities of White House correspondents with a blend of gentleness, humor and professionalism that endeared him to the readers of his dispatches for The Associated Press. This renewable scholarship is awarded to four undergraduate students from Washington, D.C. or Prince George’s County, Maryland on the basis of financial need. Students must re-apply each year to be considered for renewal.
Ralph Crosby Journalism Excellence Award. Funded by Mr. Crosby, a 1956 graduate of the College who is a member of the Merrill College Board of Visitors and chairman of Crosby Marketing Communications, Inc., in Annapolis. This scholarship provides an award toward tuition and fees to an undergraduate journalism student based on academic performance and financial need, with preference (in order) given to a student from Annapolis, Anne Arundel County or the State of Maryland.
The Ralph and Carlotta Crosby TerpStart Endowed Scholarship in Journalism. Ralph Crosby ‘56 said, “Being a journalism major at the University of Maryland helped form my character, gave me a profession, and trained me academically and socially. Good reasons for giving back.” This scholarship provides annual need-based funds, under the auspices of the TerpStart Matching Scholarship Program, with preference given (in order) to undergraduate students from Anne Arundel County or the State of Maryland who are enrolled in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. (Students can not apply for this scholarship.)
Theodore Crown, Sr. and Joseph T. Crown, Jr. Scholarship. Created by Kathryn Crown ’66 in memory of her father and brother, this scholarship is awarded to undergraduate journalism students with junior or senior class standing.
Entravision. Awarded to a broadcast student in the Merrill College with high academic achievement. Preference is given to those who have demonstrated interest or experience covering issues or stories related to the Hispanic community, those who double major or minor in a Spanish language, who have studied abroad in Spain, Central America, or Latin America, and students who have worked or interned at a Spanish-language media organization.
Penny Bender Fuchs Scholarship. This scholarship was established by colleagues, family and friends of Penny Bender Fuchs, an admired and respected member of the Merrill College faculty from 1999 until her death in 2013. Rising Merrill College juniors and seniors are eligible for this award. Preference is given to students who have earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in journalism courses.
Lawrence L. Goldberg and Lillie Z. Goldberg Journalism Scholarships. Funded by Mr. and Mrs. Goldberg and their relatives and friends in honor of former Knight Chair Professors Hodding Carter III and Haynes Johnson, and former professor David Broder, three faculty members who taught classes that the Goldbergs attended at the Merrill College as retirees. Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate or graduate journalism students based on academic merit, with preference given to students with financial need.
Gridiron Scholarship. The Gridiron Foundation Journalism Scholarship was established in 2002 by the Gridiron Club and Foundation. The Gridiron Club is the oldest and most prestigious journalistic organization in Washington D.C., and its foundation makes charitable contributions and provides scholarship to journalism students. The Gridiron Foundation Journalism Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students based upon outstanding academic achievements and a stated commitment to pursue a career in journalism. Students must re-apply each year to be considered for renewal.
The Michael Gurevitch Journalism Scholarship. The Michael Gurevitch Journalism Scholarship was established in January 2009 by Patricia Gurevitch, in memory of her husband. An internationally renowned mass communication scholar, Professor Emeritus Michael Gurevitch taught at the University of Maryland’s College of Journalism from 1983 until 2008. Much of his work was grounded in case studies and original research relating to how journalists grasped the practical problems of keeping the public informed. Professor Gurevitch would not have been able to be in the United States to earn his 2 degrees if he did not have help from others. This scholarship provides non- renewable funds for doctoral students in the Merrill College. Preference will be given to international students with financial need.
The Ralph M. Hamaker TerpStart Endowed Scholarship. Started by Ralph M. Hamaker ’53, this scholarship provides annual need-based funds, under the auspices of the TerpStart Matching Scholarship Program, for undergraduate students enrolled in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. (Students cannot apply for this scholarship.)
The Ray Hiebert Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is awarded to graduate broadcast students.
Carol Horner Journalism Scholarship. This scholarship was established by family, friends and colleagues of the late Ms. Horner, a dedicated journalist and woman of wonderful good humor who forged a distinguished career as a reporter and editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Wall Street Journal before serving as director of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at the University of Maryland. This non-renewable scholarship is awarded to a high-achieving undergraduate student with financial need in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Christopher Houston ’85 Scholarship. The K. Christopher Houston Scholarship was established in memory of K. Christopher “Chris” Houston, ’85, a distinguished journalist who worked for CNN Headline News in Atlanta and WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. Funded by Karen Gray Houston, family and friends, this scholarship is awarded to a student at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism who has demonstrated a strong interest in pursuing a career in broadcast journalism.
Jay Jackson Scholarship. Funded by former Annapolis newspaper executive Allen Jackson in memory of his brother Jay, an honors graduate of Maryland’s second journalism class. This scholarship is awarded based on merit and need, to a multi-platform student who will be a senior the following semester.
Haynes Johnson Scholarship Fund. The Haynes Johnson Scholarship Fund was established in 2013 by funds donated from the faculty, staff and friends of Haynes Johnson. This scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding student in the Merrill College based on financial need and academic merit.
Robert C. Keith Fund for Investigative Journalism. The Fund shall be used to provide support for scholarships and teaching grants to faculty and students and support for other investigative journalism endeavors at the discretion of the dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Phyllis and Frank Kopen Broadcast Journalism Scholarship. Endowed by broadcast faculty member and College alumna Sue Kopen Katcef ’76 in honor of her parents, this scholarship is awarded to a sophomore or junior broadcast student (radio or TV) in recognition of their contributions to the College’s broadcast journalism program. Consideration may be given to financial need and academic performance. Awards may be renewable for up to two years if recipients continue to make satisfactory academic progress. Students must re-apply each year to be considered for renewal.
Tom Kunkel Journalism Excellence Scholarship. Created by colleagues and friends of former dean Tom Kunkel (2000-2008), this scholarship is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students based on academic merit, with preference given to students with financial need.
Jonathan Ledecky Sports Journalism Scholarship. Funded by New York Islanders minority owner Jonathan Ledecky to support scholarships for students in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism who have interest in sports journalism. Recipients must have an expressed interest in sports journalism, be accepted for full-time enrollment. and maintain good academic standing.
Rick Martin ’92 Scholarship in Journalism. The Rick Martin ’92 Scholarship in Journalism was established in 2015 by Mr. Rick Martin. Mr. Martin has worked in the television news industry for more than 20 years as an assignment editor and manager – at CNN as well as other local news markets in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia. He has covered the White House, Congress, the Pentagon and the State Department. He has covered major breaking news, including the White House shooting by gunman Francisco Duran, the D.C. Sniper Attacks, and the September 11th terrorist attacks. Martin was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the West Indies’ twin-island nation of Trinidad & Tobago.
The Scholarship shall be awarded to an undergraduate student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism who demonstrates financial need and maintains good academic standing. This scholarship may be renewed each year if the student meets these criteria. Students must re-apply each year to be considered for renewal.
John McNamara ’83 Endowed Sports Journalism Scholarship. This scholarship, funded by family and friends of 1983 Merrill College alumnus John McNamara, was created to recognize McNamara and his devotion to sports journalism, to allow others to learn fromMcNamara and his work, to develop and reward writers who demonstrate potential for producing accessible and informative sports journalism and to provide opportunity for talented students.
Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association Scholarship. This scholarship is funded by the MDDC Press Association and is awarded to full-time undergraduate multi-platform (non-broadcast) students who are residents of Maryland, Delaware, or D.C. Recipients and must also have completed at least three semesters with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Ron Menchine Broadcast Journalism Scholarship. Established in 2013 with a bequest from the estate of Mr. Menchine, a 1956 Maryland graduate who was the last baseball broadcasting voice of the Washington Senators. In his earlier career, he was sports director of WBAL radio in Baltimore and WDCA-TV in Washington, and was a play-by-play announcer for Temple and Navy football games. The Menchine fund awards scholarships to high-achieving broadcast students in the Merrill College.
The David Mills Scholarship (The Diamondback). The David Mills Scholarship is awarded annually to at least one student who will receive a $5,000 scholarship. The requirements include: they be a Diamondback (DBK) staffer with at least two semesters of experience; be full time (12 or more credits); and that they continue to work at the DBK for the two semesters that follow the award. The students are asked to submit an application and materials which should include writing, multi-media or other journalism samples. The final decision is made by David Simon (DBK and UMD alumnus), a current UMD professor from the English Department and a relative of the late David Mills for whom the award is named.
Gertrude Poe Fund for Journalism Excellence. An endowed fund established in 1988 by the former editor, publisher and owner of the weekly Laurel News Leader in Maryland. Ms. Poe was the first female president of the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and was inducted into to the MDDC Hall of Fame in 1987. Spendable income from the Poe fund supports student scholarships in the Merrill College, with preference
given to students with an interest in community journalism.
Frank Quine and Mary Ellen Doran-Quine Journalism Scholarship. Funded by the College’s former Assistant Dean Frank Quine and his wife, this scholarship is awarded to a high achieving multi-platform student (grad or undergrad) with financial need and high potential as a professional journalist.
Stanley E. Rubenstein Memorial Journalism Scholarship. Established by Ruth Ann Rubenstein ’53 in memory of her husband, a 1953 economics graduate of Maryland, who became a leading New York City public relations executive. This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student based on financial need and academic merit.
Richard W. Worthington Journalism Scholarship. Named in memory of the late publisher of the weekly Bel Air, Md. Aegis newspaper. This scholarship is awarded to a multi-platform major (undergraduate or graduate) based on a combination of academic excellence, evidence of potential as a journalist and financial need. Preference given to a resident of Harford County, Maryland.
The Philip Merrill College of Journalism offers several scholarships for interns. Read about the scholarships below and APPLY HERE if you're interested.
Penny Bender Fuchs Internship Grant. This fund was established by colleagues, family and friends of Penny Bender Fuchs, an admired and respected member of the Merrill College faculty from 1999 until her death in 2013. Rising Merrill College juniors and seniors are eligible for this award. Preference is given to students who might not otherwise be able to participate in an internship due to financial limitations. Preference is also given to students who have earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher in journalism courses.
John A. Jenkins ’72 Internship Award. Established by John Jenkins ’72, founder and CEO of Law Street Media, president and publisher emeritus of CQ Press in Washington, D.C., and author of “The Partisan: The Life of William Rehnquist.” This fund provides travel- or tuition-related internship expenses for Merrill College students who might not otherwise be able to participate in internships due to financial limitations.
Joseph R. Slevin Award. Established by the family of the late Joseph R. Slevin, former president of the National Press Club and National Press Foundation, former journalist with the Journal of Commerce, New York Herald-Tribune, Times of London and The New York Times, and author for 19 years of a widely syndicated column covering economics. This scholarship is awarded in consultation with the Merrill College internship director to students who obtain a full-time summer internship with a leading media organization in the area of political or economic reporting. Scholarships will cover the cost of tuition for internship academic credits and expenses associated with the internship.