Scholarships

The Denver Press Club annually awards scholarships to deserving journalism and communications students attending Colorado colleges and schools. The scholarships are administered with the assistance and help of The Denver Foundation, Colorado’s oldest community organization. You can donate directly to support the Press Club scholarships through the Foundation.

The application form is available from the Foundation. The application deadline varies each year but is typically in the late fall. Winners are recognized at the Club’s annual Damon Runyon Award banquet in the spring of the following year.

In 2019, Club leadership named the overall winning scholarship — and the top monetary award — for John C. Ensslin, a longtime Club member who died in August 2019. The scholarship had previously been named for longtime NBC Meet the Press anchor Tim Russert, a former Damon Runyon Award winner.

Below is a list of all of our winners over the year. If you have information you would like to add, please contact us.

2020

NAMESCHOOLHOMETOWNAMOUNT
Samantha SansonColorado CollegeLittleton, CO$3,000
Elias BornColorado Mesa U.Evergreen, CO$1,500
Brooke BuchanCSU Fort CollinsWestminster, CO$1,500
Bailee CampbellU. of Northern ColoradoPaonia, CO$1,500
Heather DavisMSU DenverLakewood, CO$1,500
Melanie MauCSU PuebloColorado Springs, CO$1,500
Robert TannCU BoulderAurora, CO$1,500
Isaac VargasDUAurora, CO$1,500
Joy WebbCU Colorado SpringsDelta, CO$1,500

2019

NameSchoolHometownAmount
Megan WebberMSU Denver$3,000
Grace CarsonDU$1,500
Chris ChurillaCSU Pueblo$1,500
Emma IannaconeCSU Fort Collins$1,500
Hannah MetzgerCU BoulderAurora, CO$1,500
Ben ShumateU. of Northern Colorado$1,500
Matt ThorntonColorado Mesa U.$1,500

2018

NameSchoolAmount
Miriam “Mimi” MadridMSU Denver$2,000
Jackson BarnettCU Boulder$1,000
Will CostelloU. of Northern Colorado$1,000
Laura HuwaColorado Mesa U.$1,000
Nevin FowlerCSU Fort Collins$1,000
Ashley SchaerflCSU Pueblo$1,000
Leah SwanderDU$1,000

2017

NameSchoolHometownAmount
Erin DouglasCSU Fort CollinsParker, CO$1,500
Ellis ArnoldCU BoulderAurora, CO$750
Ashleigh HollowellCSU PuebloWoodland Park, CO$750
Jacquiline PalizziU. of Northern ColoradoThornton, CO$750
Jillian QueriDUPark City, UT$750
David SchautMSU DenverHighlands Ranch, CO$750

2016

NameSchool
Connor DavisDU
Sarah KnuthCSU Pueblo
Alyson McClaranMSU Denver
Keegan PopeCSU Fort Collins
Sam SchanfarberCU Boulder
Dylan SanchezU. of Northern Colorado

2015

NameSchool
Elizabeth HernandezCU Boulder
Joe FriesDU
Jacob ScottU. of Northern Colorado
Robert “Tony” WhiteMSU Denver
Christy WiabelCSU Pueblo
Kate WinkleCSU Fort Collins

2014

NameSchoolHometown
Biz GilmoreU. of Northern Colorado
Kara MasonCSU PuebloPueblo, CO
Mary Isabel McCanDU
Anne Lorraine MeltonCU Boulder
Dillon ThomasCSU Fort CollinsAurora, CO
Kelli Heitstuman-TomkoMSU Denver

2013

NameSchool
Caryn MaconiCU Boulder
Jaidree BradixU. of Northern Colorado
Thomas Austin BriggsCSU Fort Collins
Jason CowanCSU Pueblo
Anna GauldinDU
Lauren LechnerMSU Denver

2012

NameSchool
Steve CoulterDU
John S. Gleason Jr.MSU Denver
Matt MillerCSU Fort Collins
Amanda MoutinhoCU Boulder
Dalton RiesCSU Pueblo
Ben WelchU. of Northern Colorado

2011

NameSchool
Parker CottonU. of Northern Colorado
Deidre HeltonDU
Kelly LaneCU Boulder
Ye “Charlotte” MingCSU Pueblo
Alyssa Christine SerresMSU Denver
Alexandra SiehCSU Fort Collins

2010

NameSchool
Andrea CarlsonMSU of Denver
Emery CowanCU Boulder
Aaron HedgeCSU Fort Collins
Arianna RanahosseiniDU
Mitchell WollU. of Northern Colorado

2009

NameSchool
Sara CastellanosDU
Teresa DupuisCSU Pueblo
Joshua EspinozaU. of Northern Colorado
Mike MartinezMSU Denver
Joshua MiddletonCSU Fort Collins
Brandon SpringerCU Boulder

2008

NameSchool
Bryce EvansDU
Anna HaislipCU Boulder
Erin LamberU. of Northern Colorado
Amy PiazzaMSU Denver
Eric SalagovicCSU Pueblo

2007

NameSchoolAmount
Kari CraigCU Boulder$1,000
Ian ChambersCSU Fort Collins$250
Jeremy JohnsonMSU Denver$250
Kara LyonsDU$250
Erik MyersU. of Northern Colorado$250
Zach ThompsonCSU Pueblo$250

2006

NameSchool
Beth BurkeyCU Boulder
Erin ConroyDU
J.P. EichmillerCSU Fort Collins
Ryan MaierCSU Fort Collins
Frank OteriCSU Pueblo
Andy RosenthalU. of Northern Colorado
Erin WilliamMSU Denver

2005

NameSchool
Jackie CraddockCSU Pueblo
Kristin KunzDU
Michael LawrenceCU Boulder
Ian NelighMSU Denver
John TeetenCSU Fort Collins
Heath UrieU. of Northern Colorado

2004

NameSchool
Brittany AnasCU Boulder
John BrandstetterU. of Northern Colorado
Amy DenningMSU Denver
Taylour NelsonCSU Fort Collins
Katie NiekirkDU

2003

NameSchoolHometown
John CraneMSU Denver
Meg GreenU. of Northern Colorado
Alberto MaresDU
Alicia WallaceCU Boulder
Dominic WeilminsterCSU Fort CollinsArvada, CO

2002

NameSchool
Matt ChiabottiDU
Heather MundtCU Boulder
Valerie SingletonMSU Denver
Maria Sanchez TraynorCSU Fort Collins
Amy WeimerU. of Northern Colorado

2001

NameSchool
Jon AckermanU. of Northern Colorado
Adam BuchananMSU Denver
Kendra FishCSU Fort Collins
Mariah FurnessDU
Brady McCombsCU Boulder

2000

NameSchool
Anna BrowerDU
Karen CrummyCU Boulder
Kevin DarstCSU Fort Collins
Kristen HergenrenderU. of Northern Colorado
Tanya Sierra del RioMSU Denver

1999

NameSchoolAmount
Allison SherryCSU Fort Collins$1,000

1998

NameSchool
Anna BrowerDU
Brett NelsonU. of Northern Colorado
Kerry PohlmanCSU Fort Collins
Tim SkillernCU Boulder
Lori SpitzerMSU Denver

1997

NameSchool
Kelly Kennedy BogdanowiczCSU Fort Collins
Aaron BrothersonU. of Northern Colorado
Chad LingwoodCU Boulder
Stephen ParkerDU
Christine RichardsonMSU Denver

1995

Name
Joel Cantalamessa
Alex Hill
Sandi Sanders

1994

NameSchoolAmount
Steve BolandCU Boulder$1,000
Lisa Opsahl

1992

NameSchoolAmount
Michelle DoyleCSU Fort Collins$1,000
Dave HarrellU. of Southern Colorado$300
Chris HuntWestern State College$300
Kim DiercksMSU Denver$100
Steve FrancisU. of Northern Colorado$100
Dave LoweRegis U.$100
Ian OlgeirsonCU Boulder$100
Jill PommrehnDU$100
Kay StackCMU$100

1991

NameSchoolAmount
Todd BurgessMSU Denver$1,000
Steve LowryCMU$300
Woody MitchellU. of Colorado$300
Julie CollinsCSU Fort Collins$100
Christopher HenningDU$100
Roy Wayne NallWestern State College$100

1989

NameSchoolAmount
Timothy HylandU. of Northern Colorado$100

1985

NameSchoolHometownAmount
Darlene FouquetMSU DenverDenver, CO$650
Jessica SnyderMSU DenverDenver, CO$650
Kevin VaughanMSU DenverNorthglenn, CO$650

1972

NameSchoolHometownAmount
William HobbsU. of ColoradoDurango, CO$457.30

1971

NameSchoolHometown
Bruce M. CurleyCSU Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
Joseph P. WeigelAurora, CO

1969

NameSchool
Lynda D. LawrenceU. of Colorado

1968

NameSchool
Sandra L. MichelU. of Colorado

1966

Name
Steven Leslie Carter

1960

NameSchoolAmount
Edward W. HeringU. of Colorado$212

1959

NameSchool
Jack K. HolleyU. of Colorado

1957

NameSchoolAmount
Byron “Bus” TarboxU. of Colorado$200