Five UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications students and one staff member received awards from the Omaha Press Club (OPC) for the 2023-2024 academic year at the OPC Foundation brunch on April 22 in Omaha.
Damon Bennett, a junior broadcasting, and sports media and communication double major, received the Paul N. Williams Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes Paul N. Williams, a dedicated journalist. His 27 years as a newspaperman culminated in a share of the first Pulitzer Prize ever awarded to a weekly newspaper, Omaha’s Sun Newspapers.
Junior journalism major Marissa Kraus received the John Davis Scholarship. In 1974, the Davis scholarship was established in honor of First National Bank executive John F. Davis, who helped establish the Omaha Press Club atop the bank building at 16th and Dodge streets.
“I feel incredibly honored to have been recognized alongside other talented collegiate journalists, including fellow CoJMC students,” Kraus said. “The future is bright for journalism.”
Junior journalism major Megan Buffington received the Stan Bond Scholarship. Stan Bond was KETV’s first field engineer, pioneering live broadcasting from remote story locations for the newsroom in which he was a full newsgathering participant. A past president of the Omaha Press Club and trustee of the Omaha Press Club Foundation, Bond received the Distinguished Club Member Award in 2001.
Junior advertising and public relations and broadcasting major Jacob Vanderford received the Panko-Roberts/President’s Memorial Scholarship. It is the oldest Omaha Press Club scholarship and was first presented in 1957 in memory of Omaha World-Herald reporter Walter Panko. More than a decade later, the name of KMTV News Director Jim Roberts was added, and the award now honors all past presidents of the Omaha Press Club and Omaha Press Club Foundation.
Valeria Uribe, a junior advertising and public relations, and graphic design double major, received the Susan Eustice Scholarship. Susan Eustice was an award-winning public relations and marketing professional who was best known as the longtime communications director for the Salvation Army’s Western Division in Omaha. Susan was also a great friend of the Omaha Press Club, co-chairing its publications committee for 17 years and serving as club president in 2012.
CoJMC’s technical director Jamie Wenz was awarded the John Savage Visual Communications Grant. Wenz’s proposed purchase of additional video switchers and remote camera controllers for the Unlimited Sports Lab, KRNU studio and Podcasting studio. The upgrade will result in matching equipment in all three spaces so that students can have a better user experience on their livestreams and podcasts.
“Students will be able to apply quality elements to their projects, resulting in a more professional production,” Wenz said.
The John Savage Visual Communications Fellowship is endowed by the family, colleagues and friends of John Savage, a pioneer Omaha World-Herald photojournalist and founder of the Omaha Press Club. The Fellowship provides each campus a $2,000 award for visual communications initiatives that benefit students.
The College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Omaha Press Club Scholarship selection committee members were assistant professor Chris Graves, professor Maria Marron and assistant professor Jessica Walsh.
For over 50 years, the Omaha Press Club and Omaha Press Club Foundation have awarded journalism scholarships to the most deserving students at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Learn more about the Omaha Press Club here.
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