Students: Helen Verba Award for Print Journalism

Helen Verba was a devoted member of Sigma Delta Chi (now known as the Society of Professional Journalists) throughout her life. She worked at The Denver Post from 1951 until her retirement in 1978. She joined The Post in its radio/TV department, worked on the society desk and became club editor in 1971. Before joining The Post staff, Verba worked for a Denver advertising agency and wrote and produced radio shows for the information department at the University of Colorado.

This print/convergent scholarship – up to $5,000 – is sponsored by the Colorado Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The scholarship is open to high school seniors and college and university students attending any accredited U.S. college or university. To be considered, applicants must plan on entering a career in print or digital journalism and be from or living in Colorado.

Applications must include:
A concise cover letter that may include a statement of financial need and that explains how the applicant intends to use the scholarship.
An essay (no more than 500 words) illustrating the applicant’s writing abilities and plans for a career in journalism.=
The names and contact information for three references.
A current resume.
Three published stories.

Applications must be postmarked or received by email by Feb. 14, 2023.

Scholarship recipients will be notified in the spring and will be invited to an awards banquet in Denver. The scholarship money will be paid to the student’s institution. All award amounts will be decided by the SPJ scholarship committee.