Journalists, editors eligible for $5,000 scholarships for religion courses

Contact: Amy Schiska

573-355-5201 ext. 3#

Schiska@RNA.org

Journalists, editors eligible for $5,000 scholarships for religion courses

Study Islam, Religion and Politics, War, Theology—on us!

(Columbia, Mo.) — RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS invites journalists in the to apply to its Lilly Scholarships in Religion Program. The scholarships give full-time journalists up to $5,000 to take any college religion courses at any accredited institution at any time.

Religion headlines are dominating news coverage—sex abuse, religion and politics, Islam in America, Post-9/11— now is the perfect time to dig deeper into today’s hottest stories. More than 200 people have already taken advantage of RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS’ Lilly Scholarships in Religion Program for Journalists.

Topics reporters have studied include: Islamic Movements, God & Politics, Christianity and Culture, Religious Tradition and Scientific Inquiry, Buddhism and Science, Violence and Liberation, Religion and Medicine and many more.

"The course (Intro to Biblical Studies) not only encouraged me to look at the Bible strictly from a historical and literary perspective, but also forced me to dismiss some of the "Biblical truths” I learned as a child,” said Amie McLain, WRIC-TV8 in Richmond, Va.

The scholarships can be used at accredited colleges, universities, seminaries or similar institutions.  Journalists can choose any religion, spirituality or ethics course. Scholarships cover tuition, books, registration fees, parking and other course-related costs. Online and travel classes are also eligible (as long as travel costs are part of the curriculum).

All full-time journalists working in the general circulation news media—including reporters, editors, designers, copy editors, editorial writers, news directors, researchers and producers—are eligible, regardless of their beat.

The next scholarship application deadline is Oct. 1, 2012. Scholarships must be used within three academic quarters of their award date.

RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS is the world’s only association for journalists who write about religion in the mainstream news media. The scholarships are offered through its non-profit arm, the Religion Newswriters Foundation, with funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS offers training and tools to help journalists cover religion with balance, accuracy and insight. Visit www.RNA.org to learn more about our RELIGION | LINK story ideas, Religion stylebook and primer, contests for religion reporting, annual conference and more.