RTDNA Foundation Announces 2026 Scholarship, Fellowship Recipients
The RTDNA Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 scholarship and fellowship program. This year, the Foundation is awarding more than $35,000 to 12 talented students and early-career journalists.
Scholarship and fellowship winners will attend the First Amendment Awards, taking place March 12 in Washington, D.C., and will participate in RTDNA-led training and education sessions during their time in the nation's capital.
Since its establishment in 1970, the RTDNA Foundation has provided more than $1 million in scholarships and fellowships to over 600 aspiring journalists, fulfilling its role as the educational and charitable wing of the Radio Television Digital News Association.
Some have gone on to become reporters, producers and news directors, covering local and national issues that matter to their communities. Others have ventured into related professions, such as White House speechwriters, media regulatory attorneys and journalism educators. Several former recipients have also contributed to RTDNA’s leadership by serving as board members, while many have been honored with prestigious Murrow Awards.
Below are this year’s recipients:
David Louie Scholarship, presented by David Louie, the recipient of the RTDNA Foundation’s very first scholarship in 1970 while a student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. This $2,000 scholarship is given to full-time Northwestern/Medill students with a preference for applicants of Asian American descent.
Yaohong “Alex” Zhong is a sophomore at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, studying broadcast journalism with minors in Radio/Television/Film and Legal Studies. He serves as an executive producer, reporter, and anchor for the Northwestern News Network, covering local government, policy, and community issues in Evanston and Chicago.
Zhong recently collaborated with WTTW News on a long-form feature examining digital literacy barriers facing seniors in Chicago’s Chinatown. He also completed Columbia Journalism School’s Lede Program, receiving training in data journalism and investigative reporting. Originally from Guangzhou, China, Zhong is deeply committed to serving Asian American and immigrant communities through community-centered storytelling.
Lou & Carole Prato Sports Reporting Scholarship, presented by Lou and Carole Prato, honors Lou’s more than 30 years of service to RTDNA and the RTDNA Foundation. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a journalism student who brings Lou's journalism values to covering sports.
Sydney Chan, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a student at Syracuse University pursuing a degree in broadcast and digital journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She has contributed both on-air and behind the scenes to live sports productions broadcast on ESPN2, ACC Network, and ACC Network Extra, as well as studio shows streamed on ACCNX/Cuse.com.
In February 2025, Chan became only the second freshman ever cleared for air on ACC Network. Soon after, she received the Al Young Sports Journalism Scholarship from the Asian American Journalists Association and the Newhouse First-Year Achievement Award.
Most recently, she worked with NBC Sports’ social media team in Los Angeles, producing short-form digital content. In February 2026, Chan will head to her first Olympic Games in Milan as part of NBC’s coverage team.
Carole Simpson Scholarship, presented by barrier-breaking journalist Carole Simpson, this $2,000 award is given annually to a student of color and supports media diversity.
Sigourney Bell is a broadcast journalism student at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with hands-on experience in television, radio, and field reporting. She is passionate about audience engagement and pursuing a broadcasting career that amplifies diverse voices and delivers impactful news coverage.
Pete Wilson Scholarship, honoring the late San Francisco broadcast journalist, this $2,000 grant is awarded to a Bay Area journalism student.
Kayla Chan is a sophomore at Stanford University studying communications with a focus on journalism. Born and raised in Macao, she is a staff writer and editor for The Stanford Daily and has contributed to publications including the South China Morning Post (Young Post) and Macao News.
Chan is drawn to journalism for its ability to illuminate challenges faced by marginalized communities and to transform raw facts into compelling narratives. She hopes to pursue a career in enterprise and investigative reporting that centers on human stories often overlooked in traditional coverage.
Lee Thornton Scholarship, a $2,000 scholarship awarded to an undergraduate student in honor of Lee Thornton, the first African American woman to cover the White House for a major news network and the first African American host of All Things Considered on NPR.
Nya Tweedy is a political science and communications major at Colorado State University and a contributor to KCSU, the university’s student-run radio station. Through her work, she combines her interests in writing and music to spotlight emerging artists and explore the intersection of culture, sound, and social identity.
Tweedy approaches journalism with authenticity, curiosity, and a commitment to inclusivity. Her work emphasizes accuracy, creative storytelling, and meaningful community connection.
Bob Horner Scholarship, presented by veteran broadcast executive Robert Horner, this $2,500 scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student studying journalism or communications with aspirations of a career in broadcast or video journalism.
Victoria Ryan is a junior at Northwestern University studying journalism, political science, and integrated marketing communications. She serves as news director of the Northwestern News Network, while also working as a reporter, anchor, and executive producer.
Ryan was NNN’s first digital media director, significantly expanding the outlet’s social media presence through vertical video. She participated in Medill on the Hill in Washington, D.C., where she won a Crystal Pillar for reporting on the community impact of federal layoffs at the EPA. She has also interned on air at WNDU in South Bend, Indiana.
Presidents Scholarship, a $2,500 award in memory of past RTDNA presidents, recognizes a broadcast journalism student’s excellence.
Charlotte Cicero is a senior Walter Williams Scholar at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a multimedia journalist, anchor, and reporter for KOMU 8 News. She also serves as lead intern for the Student Television Network and is active on the Alumni Association Student Board and Homecoming Steering Committee.
At KOMU, she has covered stories ranging from breaking news and court cases to community features. She is currently enrolled in Mizzou’s Accelerated Master’s Program and will earn her bachelor’s degree in 2026 and her master’s degree in 2027.
Maggie LeBeau is a student at the University of Missouri double majoring in journalism and history. She serves as a news editor for The Maneater, an anchor and reporter for KBIA, and a journalism ambassador for Mizzou.
LeBeau has previously interned with Ballotpedia and served as a PBS News Student Reporting Labs fellow. Her work has appeared in PBS NewsHour, Teen Vogue, and The Poynter Institute, and she is a member of the National Association for Media Literacy Education Youth Advisory Council.
George Foreman Tribute to Lyndon B. Johnson Scholarship, presented to a student at the University of Texas at Austin, this $6,000 award, established by the boxing champion, honors his inspirations, President Johnson and RTDNA Foundation Founder Barney Oldfield.
Mayah Morrison will graduate from the University of Texas at Austin in spring 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a certificate in German. She is part of the communications teams for UT EcoCAR, Cactus Yearbook, and HOOK’D Magazine, and is involved with Type Texas and the University Fashion Group.
Morrison is a 2025 fellow at the Salzburg Global Media Academy, where she studied the intersection of local media, democracy, and global digitalization. She also served as a 2025 Running Start Congressional Fellow, deepening her understanding of how communication shapes civic engagement.
Ed Bradley Scholarship, a $10,000 award presented to an outstanding student of color in memory of the late CBS News’ 60 Minutes correspondent and groundbreaking journalist.
Mackenzie Kirkwood is a Nigerian-Irish student journalist and junior at Northwestern University, where he studies journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and voice and opera performance at the Bienen School of Music. His journalism experience spans student broadcast news, political media, public television, and documentary filmmaking.
At the Northwestern News Network (NNN), Kirkwood has served as an anchor, associate producer, assignment editor, and reporter, helping lead newsroom coverage and ensuring diverse storytelling. He pitches, shoots, and edits weekly stories, delivers live on-air coverage, and led health care reporting for NNN’s 2024 election show.
Kirkwood has been recognized as a Northwestern Undergraduate Open Minds Winner for excellence in storytelling and community engagement. He is also an Eagle Scout and a Henry and Leigh Bienen Scholarship recipient.
N.S. Bienstock Fellowship, established by Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper of the talent firm now known as Bienstock, a UTA Company, this $2,500 award supports a new professional broadcast journalist of color.
Ashley N. Soriano is a digital content producer for NewsNation, joining the network in September 2024. She earned her Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University in August while working full-time. Her bylines include WBEZ Chicago, Capitol News Illinois, United Press International, and The Fulcrum.
Previously, Soriano worked as a national multimedia reporter for Fox News in Las Vegas and reported locally for KGNS News in Laredo, Texas, with extensive experience covering immigration and border issues. Her reporting has also appeared in outlets across metro Atlanta. Her notable coverage includes the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting, Hurricane Ian, the Idaho student murders, and Super Bowl LVI security. Soriano is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, where she earned degrees in journalism and international affairs.
Dr. Marsha Della Giustina Scholarship, honoring the trailblazing broadcast journalist and educator who spent more than 50 years in the industry, including four decades mentoring students at Emerson College. A longtime RTDNA member, Dr. Della Giustina launched one of the largest regional journalism conferences in the country and helped shape the careers of thousands of journalists. This $2,000 scholarship supports a student who embodies her commitment to excellence and mentorship in journalism.
Gitana Savage is a third-year journalism and media & screen studies student at Northeastern University with a minor in Spanish. Born and raised in New York City and currently based in Boston, she is passionate about writing, broadcast journalism, and film production.
Savage’s career interests include investigative reporting, feature writing, producing, screenwriting, and directing. She recently worked as a communications and design co-op for the City of Boston and led communications for Media Cloud, an open-source media research project. She also serves as managing editor of The Huntington News, Northeastern's independent student newspaper.
Congratulations to all of the 2026 recipients! We’re honored to support the next generation of journalists as they inform, inspire and lead.