Jim Sanders Media and Leadership Scholarship

Please note that CSU Foundation Scholarships offered by the Chancellor’s Office are awarded based on applicants meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of their submission for these scholarships.

The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office Committee will review all applications and select the top one to two qualified candidates by mid-April. These applicants will be nominated and forwarded to the Chancellors Scholarship Committee and applicants from the other CSU campuses to be reviewed in the summer for the upcoming academic year.

This scholarship is to honor and support the leaders of today and tomorrow among the California State University student population. The media industries are changing, and as the continued gatekeepers of information, the industries need people to lead, take risks, be creative, have a sense of humor, be intelligent, and challenge the status quo.

Jim Sanders was a news director at television stations in Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Columbus, Ohio. He was renowned for his integrity, encouraging mentorship, and positive attitude.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Students must have an interest in journalism, media, or communication.
• Students must aspire to a career in media but can be interested in any aspect of the industry, including engineering, sales, production (audio, video, and sound editing, etc.), graphic design, human resources, etc.
• Students must be enrolled or entering the first semester as a student at a California State University campus and remain enrolled during the scholarship period.
• Students must express current leadership qualities or the desire to be a journalism, media, or communication leader.
• This scholarship honors and supports the leaders of today and tomorrow in journalism, media, or communications. The media industry is changing, and as the gatekeepers of information, these industries need intelligent, creative leaders and risk-takers with a sense of humor and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

*Supplemental Material *

• Brief Personal Statement (300-word count) that explains why the student wants to pursue a career in journalism, news media, or communication and how they perceive themselves as a leader (career interest can be in any aspect of the industry including engineering, sales, production (audio, video and sound editing, etc.), graphic design, human resources, etc.)
• Two letters of recommendation will be requested for finalists only. One letter must be from an instructor who taught the student.