Two Wayne State students win NPW scholarships

Nebraska Press Women offers two scholarships a year to students studying journalism at Nebraska colleges and universities. The $500 Memorial Scholarship is supported by money donated to a scholarship trust fund. The $300 Excellence in Media Scholarship is supported by proceeds of the annual Communications Contest that is open to members of NPW. Click here for INFORMATION and APPLICATION forms.

Skylar Osovski of Nebraska City, a mass communication-journalism student at Wayne State College, has been awarded the 2008 Nebraska Press Women Memorial Scholarship.

Osovski is editor-in-chief for The Wayne Stater student newspaper. As a freshman, she served as assistant sports editor. In addition, she assists with broadcasting football, volleyball and basketball games on the campus radio station, 91.9 The Cat. Her work with The Wayne Stater has earned her awards from the Nebraska Press Association, as well as an NPA scholarship.

The 2008 Excellence in Media Scholarship went to Sarah Thomsen of Wahoo, who is also a journalism major at Wayne State College.

Thomsen is also on The Wayne Stater staff. She serves as copy editor, which means that she reviews and edits articles written by other students. Further, Thomsen has consistently earned a place on the Deans' List while twice earning all-conference honors as a track-and-field athlete. She also covers the Wildcat men and women's track-and-field teams.

"As the newspaper faculty adviser, and a former sports journalist, I normally would refrain from permitting a student to cover a team on which she is a member," said Dr. Max McElwain, WSC associate professor in the Department of Communication Arts. "But Sarah is so conscientious and capable that she has succeeded in proving that policy a myth."

The two WSC students were selected from among a competitive group of applicants from private and public colleges and universities.

For information on scholarships to be awarded in 2009, e-mail Barb Batie through our Contact Us page.

Recent winners of the NPW Memorial Scholarship include:
2008: Skylar Osovski, Wayne State College
2006: Michelle Bishop, University of Nebraska-Omaha
2003: Jennifer Myers, Nebraska Wesleyan University
2001: Valeria R. Robert, University of Nebraska at Omaha
1999: Sarah Fox, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1997: Stacy Rande, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1996: Mary Woods, Chadron State College
1995: Melissa Dunne, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Recent winners of the NPW Excellence in Media Scholarship include:
2008: Sarah Thomsen, Wayne State College
2006: Linsey Marshall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2003: Amanda Sauder, Union College
2001: Tiffany Schmitz, Wayne State College
1999: Kristi Mehlhoff, Chadron State College
1997: Jessica Kennedy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1996: Becky Lagler, Chadron State College 1995: Rainbow Rowell, University of Nebraska-Lincoln