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Scholarships

ZIMMERMAN SCHOOL OF ADVERTISING & MASS COMMUNICATIONS scholarships

The Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications is pleased to announce student scholarships available for 2024-2025. Most of these scholarships are funded by non-university organizations, private donors, and friends of the Zimmerman School.

To be eligible for these scholarships, undergraduate students must meet the following minimum criteria:

Have declared a major in Mass Communications or Integrated Public Relations and Advertising (students enrolled in the Zimmerman Advertising Program are not eligible);
Have completed at least six hours of Zimmerman School courses at USF;
Be currently enrolled in Zimmerman School courses at USF; and
Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0.

Preference is given to students who demonstrate:

Excellent academic standing;
Involvement in Zimmerman School student clubs, organizations, and agencies, or USF student media; and
For some scholarships, financial need.

The application deadline for scholarships is Friday, January 24, at 11:59 p.m. Recipients will be notified of their award by mid-February 2025. The scholarships are paid into student accounts in Fall Semester 2025 or Summer Semester 2025 for students participating in study abroad. (These scholarships are NOT for Spring 2025.)

Note: You will be asked to submit a list of the Zimmerman School and USF organizations and activities you are involved in, as well as a personal statement (300-500 words). If you are applying for a need-based scholarship, you will be required to upload a PDF of an award letter from Oasis. We advise that you prepare this information prior to completing the application.

All scholarships are subject to available funding and may be modified as needed by the Zimmerman School. Additionally, scholarships for students with demonstrated financial need may be revoked if the student has no unmet need in the semester it is to be awarded, or reduced if the student has an unmet need that is lower than the scholarship amount.

The link to the application is here:

Zimmerman School Scholarship Application

NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

In order to receive a need-based scholarship, you must have a current FAFSA on file with the USF Financial Aid office which documents unmet need. Financial Aid packages can change; you must have unmet need as determined by the Financial Aid office at the time of the scholarship disbursement, not the scholarship application deadline, in order to qualify.

Tom McEwen Endowed Scholarship in Journalism: This scholarship is designated for full- or part-time, undergraduate Journalism majors within the Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications in the College of Arts & Sciences on the Tampa campus. You must possess an excellent record of academic achievement and demonstrated financial need. First preference in the selection process will be given to those students with a career interest in sports journalism.

Cammie Lyn Krusoe Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for a Florida resident undergraduate Mass Communications student with financial need. The scholarship is dedicated to the memory of a 2004 graduate who died in an accident in 2007.

John and Jerry Wing Alexander Endowed Scholarship: These scholarships are designated for students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are majoring in Mass Communications, matriculating full time, having completed at least two years at the undergraduate level, demonstrating superior academic performance, with preference to be given to those students also in financial need.

ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS

John Cassato Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for an undergraduate public relations student. The scholarship is awarded each fall semester by the Tampa Bay chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in memory of John Cassato, a former public affairs officer of the Jim Walter Corporation. This scholarship requires residency in the 15-county West Coast area served by the Tampa Bay PRSA chapter, a 3.0 overall GPA, enrollment in 12 or more hours at USF and enrollment in or completion of at least one public relations course.

Walter E. Griscti Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for undergraduate public relations students. The scholarships are awarded each spring semester by the Tampa Bay chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in memory of USF professor emeritus Walter E. Griscti, APR. This scholarship requires residency in the 15-county West Coast area served by the Tampa Bay PRSA chapter, a 3.0 overall GPA, enrollment in 12 or more hours at USF and enrollment in or completion of at least one public relations course.

Michael B. Manning Scholarship: This is a scholarship to a full-time student in the College of Arts & Sciences on the Tampa campus in the Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications. This student will be a currently enrolled undergraduate in the Public Relations sequence or currently enrolled graduate student in the Strategic Communication sequence. Preferred awardee should have an immediate family member (parents, siblings, children) in any branch of the military, active or retired.

Deanne Dewey Roberts Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to a full-time, currently enrolled Mass Communications undergraduate student in Public Relations in the College of Arts and Sciences on the Tampa Campus. This scholarship is based on merit. The student should have completed at least 3 hours of public relations courses at USF.

Advertising Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees through the school and specializing in advertising on the Tampa campus.

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM & PRODUCTION SCHOLARSHIPS

Garner Rose O’Brien Halderman Endowed Scholarship: These scholarships are designated for undergraduate multimedia journalism and production students who wish to become print or online journalists. The scholarships are provided by the Garner, Rose, O’Brien, and Halderman families.

Tom McEwen Endowed Scholarship in Journalism: This scholarship is designated for full or part-time, undergraduate Journalism majors within the School of Mass Communications in the College of Arts & Sciences on the Tampa campus. Excellent records of academic achievement and demonstrated financial need. First preference in the selection process will be given to those students with a career interest in sports journalism.

Robert L. Hudson Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for full or part-time, undergraduate News Editorial majors within the School of Mass Communications in the College of Arts & Sciences on the Tampa campus. Excellent records of academic achievement required. First preference in the selection process will be given to those students with a career interest in newspaper.

Adele Tyre Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for an undergraduate multimedia journalism and production student who wishes to become a broadcast or print journalist. GPA must be equal to or higher than 3.0 or B. The scholarship is provided by the family of Adele Tyre in memory of the first black female television reporter in the Tampa Bay area.

Kerry Sanders NBC News Fellowship: This scholarship is merit-based. Criteria for the award include: Be enrolled full-time at the Tampa Campus as a degree seeking undergraduate student in Mass Communications. GPA must be equal to or higher than 3.0 or B. Preference will be given to a senior who is participating in an unpaid practicum or internship at WFLA.

Tampa Bay Times Endowed Scholarship: These scholarships are designated for undergraduates majoring in the News-Editorial sequence. The scholarship is provided by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper.

Tampa Bay Television Endowed Scholarship: These scholarships are for Broadcasting majors in the Zimmerman School, in the College of Arts & Sciences.

MASS COMMUNICATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS 

Bright House Networks Scholarship: These scholarships are designated for full- or part-time students majoring in mass communications.

Gary K. Bernstein Memorial Scholarship in Photography: This scholarship is designated for full- or part-time students mass communications majors, specifically to provide support for student photographers. Students must submit a URL link to their online photography portfolio.

Nelson E. Irving Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for undergraduate Mass Communications students with an interest in photography. The scholarships are provided by the Adah Schaich family. Students must submit a URL link to their online photography portfolio.

Donald G. Bishop Scholarship in Mass Communications: This scholarship is for a mass communications undergraduate or graduate student.

MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Tampa Electric Company Minority Scholarship: This scholarship is designated for a minority undergraduate in the news-editorial, public relations or broadcast news sequences. Selection criteria are academic excellence, expressed interest, desire to be a reporter and the potential for excellent performance.

Tampa Bay Times Endowed Minority Scholarship: These scholarships are designated for minority undergraduate students in the news-editorial sequence.

GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS

Donald G. Bishop Scholarship in Mass Communication: This scholarship is for a mass communications undergraduate or graduate student.

Michael B. Manning Scholarship: This is a scholarship to a full-time student in the College of Arts & Sciences on the Tampa campus in the Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications. This student will be a currently enrolled undergraduate in the Public Relations sequence or currently enrolled graduate in the Strategic Communication sequence. Preferred awardee should have an immediate family member (parents, siblings, children) in any branch of the military, active or retired. (APR-Accredited in Public Relations).

Jack Harris Endowed Scholarship in Broadcasting: This scholarship is designated for full- or part-time graduate students in Media Literacy with an interest in Broadcast on the Tampa campus.