HBCU World Wildlife Fund Launch Environmental Journalism Scholarship

In a groundbreaking initiative to foster the next generation of environmental journalists, the World Wildlife Fund has announced a partnership with Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications. This new scholarship and mentorship program revealed during a virtual Student Town Hall at the Robert P. Scripps Auditorium, aims to amplify diverse voices in a critical field that is facing significant challenges.

Environmental journalism is currently under threat, with unprecedented layoffs affecting newsrooms nationwide in the past year. Concurrently, the urgency of environmental issues is growing, as highlighted in WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report, which reveals devastating declines in wildlife populations over the past five decades. The necessary response to these challenges relies heavily on skilled journalists equipped to inform the public and drive change.

Financial and Mentoring Support

The newly established scholarship will provide a $10,000 award alongside practical experience in environmental reporting. The selected recipient can collaborate with advisors from WWF’s Communications and People & Culture departments. They will receive mentorship designed to enhance their skills and career trajectories in journalism.

WWF’s senior vice president of People & Culture, Renee Johnson, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled to partner with Hampton University to support students in the pursuit of their academic and professional goals. At WWF, we recognize that education can be a catalyst for real change, and we are dedicated to nurturing the next generation of environmental journalists who will tackle urgent issues like climate change and biodiversity loss. This partnership is directly aligned with WWF’s values and tangibly demonstrates our commitment to the inclusion of diverse voices so often underrepresented in the conservation sector.”

Dean Julia A. Wilson of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications echoed this sentiment: “This partnership represents a milestone in our school’s strategic goals that includes updating our curriculum to include Science Journalism to focus on training aspiring journalists to cover climate and environmental news. Our students not only will gain critical journalism and communications skills, but they also will begin building valuable industry relationships.”