Community Media Workshop to give $2,000 to a student with the best grassroots class project at the Studs Terkel Community Media Awards.

Who is eligible
A registered Columbia grad or undergrad student who has taken courses or majors in journalism, television, radio or film.

The Terkel perspective or documentary approach
Terkel, the Pulitzer Prize winning writer of Working, Race, and other important oral histories, has always paid close attention to the often overlooked or forgotten people, often giving a voice to the voiceless.  He found and made use of “unofficial” grassroots sources, focusing on Chicago-area residents and community folks, who work to make this a better place to live.

What kinds of projects qualify
A documentary or feature story on a community housing or education effort would qualify; those about a “day in the life” of a political or corporate leader probably would not qualify.  A documentary film about a community “barbershop” would qualify; one about a rock star would not. Winner will be selected by a committee of board and staff from the Community Media Workshop.

How to apply
A faculty member must write a letter recommending the student and describing the student’s work—whether a print, broadcast, or online project, article, film, tape, or combination thereof.  This letter must explain why and how the work illustrates Studs Terkel’s perspective of our city—one that recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments or visions of ordinary people.  The letter and a copy of the project must be delivered to Community Media Workshop.

Deadline is February 3, 2012.

Send project to:
Terkel Scholarship
Community Media Workshop,
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605

Or drop off at 218 S. Wabash – 7^th Floor

For more info call 312-369-6400 email cmw@newstips.org.

Scholarship will be presented at the Studs Terkel Community Media Awards on March 14, 2012.