AP-Google Scholarship Program Accepting Applications for 2013-14

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Dec 19, 2012) - The Associated Press and Google are seeking candidates for a scholarship program that recognizes student creativity and innovation at the intersection of journalism and technology.

Now in its second year, the AP-Google Journalism and Technology Scholarship Program is administered by the Online News Association, the world's largest membership organization of digital journalists.

The program will award six $20,000 scholarships to undergraduate or graduate students for the 2013-2014 academic year who are pursuing degrees in journalism, computer science and new media. The deadline to apply is Feb. 8, 2013.

"The AP-Google Scholarship Program allows students to delve into projects they otherwise may not be able to pursue," said Sue Cross, AP's senior vice president for business development and partner relations in the Americas. "We are excited to support the next generation of digital journalists and create opportunities for them to help shape the future of the news industry."

Scholarship winners are selected by a distinguished team of leaders from across the digital media industry. A key goal of the program is to promote geographic, gender and ethnic diversity, with an emphasis on rural and urban areas.

"These scholarship recipients are devising dynamic and innovative ways to tell stories and make information accessible," said Nilka Thomas, manager of Global Diversity and Talent Inclusion at Google. "We're proud to support these emerging digital leaders and the diversity of background and experiences that shape their perspectives."

Recipients use their awards to pursue individual projects. Last year's winners are tackling projects ranging from interactive data visualizations to data-driven hyperlocal reporting to news games. The winners will be blogging about their progress, challenges and achievements on the ONA website (www.journalists.org) and participating in Google Plus hangouts in 2013.

The 2012 winners are: John Osborn, University of California, Berkeley; Rebecca Rolfe, Georgia Institute of Technology; Katie Zhu, Northwestern University; Reginald James, University of California, Berkeley; Kevin Schaul, University of Minnesota and Emily Eggleston, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"AP's and Google's support means we can identify new journalist hybrids emerging from our colleges across the U.S.," said Jane McDonnell, ONA Executive Director. "While digital media professionals continue to evolve the game, we look to these students to transform the playing field."

For more details: http://journalists.org/next-gen/ap-google-scholarship/.

Apply here: http://journalists.org/next-gen/ap-google-scholarship/apply/.

About ONA
The Online News Association is the world's largest association of digital journalists. ONA's mission is to inspire innovation and excellence among journalists to better serve the public. The membership includes news writers, producers, designers, editors, bloggers, developers, photographers, educators, students and others who produce news for and support digital delivery systems. ONA also hosts the annual Online News Association conference and administers the Online Journalism Awards.

About AP
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the Web: www.ap.org.

About Google Inc.
Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Google's innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit www.google.com/about.html.