The National Press Club, the world’s leading professional organization for journalists, has chosen Ashlee Korlach of Virginia as the recipient of its 2024 Shirley & Dennis Feldman Fellowship. The award for graduate students is a one-time scholarship of $5,000.
Korlach is a multiplatform editor for The Boston Globe, where she edits stories for both print and digital as a member of the Copy Desk. She also lays out print pages and works closely with interns and co-ops. During her undergraduate program at the University of Richmond, she served as editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The Collegian.
The judges were impressed with the quality of her editing and writing in addition to a dedication to helping the next generation of journalists through mentorship.
“The appreciation I have for the people who have guided me is boundless,” Korlach wrote in her application essay. “With a master’s degree, I can further my academic career and teach journalism at the university level. I can help students learn and grow professionally. I can continue to offer my expertise with as much generosity and kindness as the mentors in my life have shown me.”
Korlach is still deciding where to attend graduate school in the fall, with plans to continue working at The Globe.
Recommendation letters from her supervisors and professors praised her professionalism, commitment to leadership, and curiosity.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Ashlee Korlach will be an asset to journalism,” said Mary Creane, senior assistant managing editor, production at The Boston Globe. “She is the kind of person who makes connections among others and does not hesitate to reach out to those in other departments, enhancing her own experience and those of her colleagues.”
“Ashlee is intellectually curious, highly disciplined, and strongly self-motivated,” said Thomas M. Mullen, director of public affairs journalism at the University of Richmond. “Since graduation, she has flourished professionally with multiple promotions and transitions that speak to her performance and potential.”
In addition to funding, scholarship winners are awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club.
“We’re thrilled to support Ashlee’s graduate studies,” said Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club. “Her desire to merge her multiplatform editing experience with a deeper understanding of emerging media is commendable. And her goal to mentor the next generations of journalists will allow her to share her expertise.”
In addition to funding, scholarship winners are awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club. National Press Club scholarships are administered by its nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. Support the Institute’s student-focused programming with a donation today.
For press inquiries or questions about the National Press Club scholarship programs, contact Beth Francesco with the National Press Club Journalism Institute at [email protected].
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